THE AAA PROGRAM
The AAA Program
The AAA Program is our coffee sourcing program and is composed of three pillars: quality, sustainability (social and environmental) and productivity. We source more than 90% of our coffee through this program, which has more than 122,000 farmers in 15 countries participating.
The program supports farmers with individualized training and technical advice from dedicated agronomists who help them to make their farms more productive, profitable and sustainable. The farmers also earn a premium for the higher quality coffee they sell to Nespresso, which is on average around 30% to 40% above the standard New York market price for coffee and 10% to 15% above the price of coffees of similar quality.
Farmers are assessed against a set of criteria and given free assistance to improve, but they do not pay a fee for joining and are under no obligation to sell their coffee to Nespresso. The criteria are inspired by criteria included in other internationally recognized standards, such as ILO, FLA, and Fairtrade Organic, etc.
Through the AAA Program we also invest in infrastructures and specific projects on the ground, such as agroforestry, retirement-savings program and crop insurance schemes, that can help farmers build resilience against market and climate volatility.
Did you know?
• Today, the AAA Program reaches more than 122,000 farmers in 15 countries.
• The Program has over 400 agronomists, 33% of whom are women.
• We source 93% of our coffee through the AAA Program. 48% of our coffee is certified Rainforest Alliance and/or Fairtrade.
• In 2019, we spent some $42 million on training, technical assistance, farmer premiums, and structural investments in farming communities.
Partnerships
The greatest successes are rarely achieved in isolation. Our experience has shown us that partnerships drive innovation and amplify impact. Nespresso’s success would not have been possible without the support and know-how of our many partners.
Throughout the world we work closely with grassroot NGOs, global financial institutions, civil society organizations and other businesses.
Read more.
Addressing the gender gap
According to the International Coffee Organization women contribute significantly to the global coffee sector. While their role in coffee production is crucial, women have less access than men to resources such as land, credit and information. This gender gap doesn’t just place women at a disadvantage. It affects overall farm productivity and household welfare.
Nespresso’s gender equality strategy aims to ensure that the AAA Program reaches and benefits women and men equally.
To this end, Nespresso has developed gender analysis tool designed to provide the insights needed to ensure women are empowered to be part of the decision-making process and are given access to the resources they need. The tool was piloted in three Nespresso sourcing regions – Aceh in Indonesia, Fraijanes in Guatemala and Sidamo in Ethiopia – and is peer reviewed by both gender and agricultural experts. The gender analysis tool is now widely recognised as an example of best practice and is now used by many gender practitioners in the agricultural sector, as well as featuring in many publications.
Read more here.