New Investigation Reveals Labor Rights Violations on Certified Coffee Farms in Colombia
Shed adapted for worker accommodation at La Arboleda
Farmworker picking coffee cherries
Worker accommodation at Finca San Fernando
Certification signs at hacienda La Arboleda
Coffee bean weighing station in downtown Andes, Antioquia department
New findings follow reports in China, Mexico, and Brazil exposing corporations for labour abuses on coffee farms
Field visits to farms in the key producing regions of Antioquia and Huila documented informal labor, excessive working hours, and unsafe living conditions. Workers – many of them Venezuelan migrants – reported long days of manual harvesting on steep hillsides without contracts, social security, or health coverage. Accommodations lacked basic infrastructure such as showers, ventilation, and personal space.
Despite claims of ethical sourcing, coffee from these farms reaches global markets through companies like Nestlé, Starbucks, Jacobs Douwe Egberts, NKG, and Volcafe. Customs data from late 2024 to early 2025 confirm exports to the United States and Europe through intermediaries linked to the Colombian Coffee Federation (FNC) and certified cooperatives.
The report questions the credibility and transparency of certification programs. Organizations like Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance admitted to gaps and announced follow-up investigations after being contacted by Repórter Brasil. Starbucks and 4C claimed their certifications had expired, despite signage still displayed at the farms.
The findings come at a critical time. The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which prohibits the import of products linked to deforestation and human rights abuses, will apply to coffee starting in December 2025. Many Colombian producers and exporters may be unprepared to comply.
The investigation also highlights the invisibility of temporary and migrant labor, systemic informality (affecting over 80% of the workforce), and the persistence of child labor on coffee farms.
Etelle Higonnet
Coffee Watch
info@coffeewatch.org
Distribution channels: Agriculture, Farming & Forestry Industry, Business & Economy, Consumer Goods, Human Rights, International Organizations
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