C.A.F.E. Practices Verification

To begin your verification process and receive a service quote, please follow these steps:

	Contact Preferred by Nature and get any information about C.A.F.E. Practices programme. Our specialists are always ready to answer your questions about the system rules and requirements of the programme.
	Implement the rules of the C.A.F.E. Practices programme and instruct your staff to follow them.
	You must send an email directly to Starbucks® showing your interest in being a Starbucks® supplier or processor. Starbucks® will reply to you by providing an application or requesting more details. Once your application is ready, send it back to Starbucks® for approval.
	Starbucks® will review your application and assign you a unique ID. Once your application is reviewed, Starbucks® will send it for your approval, and if necessary, will ask you to complete additional information. Starbucks® will also provide you with the necessary documents, including a first letter response, a self-evaluation form, and a list of indicators that you will need to back up with documents. At this stage, Starbucks® will also ask you to choose a verification organisation that will perform your verification audit.
	When you choose Preferred by Nature as the verification organisation of your interest, you can start a contractual process with us. Once our proposal is approved and signed, we can schedule a verification date. Preferred by Nature is currently approved to perform C.A.F.E. Practices verification in Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Kenia
	We conduct a verification on-site: interview your staff, review documentation and visit your sales, production and storage facilities. We will prepare a report with the audit findings. Upon your approval of the report, it will be delivered to Starbucks®.
	Starbucks® Coffee Company will review the report to determine your rating and C.A.F.E. Practices status.

Bundle certifications 

You may also apply for other agricultural certifications to your C.A.F.E. Practices verification. Please note these certifications are independent of the C.A.F.E. Practices verification and are quoted and managed directly with Preferred by Nature.

We are a certification body approved to conduct audits for a number of programmes, including agriculture schemes, such as Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Farm and Rainforest Alliance Agriculture Supply Chain certifications.

We service companies of all sizes dealing with various agricultural products, including coffee.

Our credentials

• Expertise. With over 25 years of experience within certification, we have built a team of qualified auditors located across Europe, America, Russia, Africa, Oceania and Asia. We service companies of all sizes dealing with various agricultural products, including coffee, tea, cocoa and tropical fruits. Preferred by Nature has delivered Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Supply Chain certification services for more than 20 years. We provide certification according to the Sustainable Agriculture Standard in more than 40 countries for farms and in nearly 60 countries for Supply Chain certification. 
• Focus on customer experience. Our aim is to provide you with a beneficial service that is supportive and friendly. Our professional services are delivered on time and of high quality. We will keep you up to speed on evolving certification requirements through client updates and provide you with the support needed to understand and fulfil your certification commitments.
• Local presence, global reach. With staff located in over 40 countries and backed by an extensive global network of experts, we cater to companies in more than 100 countries.

Additional value of engaging with us

• Bundle sustainability services. You can opt for additional services that support your sustainability efforts. For example, you can enlist in Forest Stewardship Council^TM (FSC^TM) Chain of Custody certification or work with us on responsible packaging if you are using paper-based packaging. On top of that, you could even have your carbon footprint management certified – all under one roof.
• Our Sustainability Framework can be a complementary tool to your commitment to sustainability and will also allow you to use the hummingbird seal. The Framework, using a risk-based approach, helps companies identify and focus their efforts on where there are critical sustainability issues in the supply chain, for any commodity in specific regions. 
• The non-profit factor. We are mission-driven, which is reflected in our focus on delivering our services with integrity and a high degree of professionalism.

 Five benefits of being C.A.F.E. Practices verified

	Contribute to forest conservation. Starbucks® has a policy against any deforestation within their coffee supply chains, which has been in existence for more than 15 years. The programme has zero-tolerance for any deforestation.
	Continuous Improvement. C.A.F.E. Practices is a verification programme, not a one-time certification system because Starbucks® believes there is always more work to do to ensure the long-term supply of high-quality coffee and to positively impact farming communities.
	Enhanced visibility and branding opportunities. C.A.F.E. Practices verification helps you demonstrate your commitment to responsible coffee production that reduces environmental and social impacts while opening the doors for you to become a Starbucks® coffee supplier.
	Improved quality and management systems. Many certified/verified companies find that the evaluation process contributes to unexpected benefits, such as cost savings while conserving water and energy or reducing agrochemical use.
	Join a larger responsible community. C.A.F.E. Practices programme measures farms against quality, economic, social and environmental criteria, all designed to promote transparent, profitable and sustainable coffee growing practices while protecting the wellbeing of coffee farmers, their communities and our planet.