Sustainability
Awards

Since 2004, the SCA has recognized outstanding work in the field of sustainability with the annual Sustainability Awards Program. The projects, business models, and individuals receiving these awards are not only dedicated to confronting the enormous challenges facing our industry – from climate change to gender equality – but also to collaborating across geographies, cultures, and supply chain roles, and to to sharing the lessons they have learned for the benefit of the entire coffee sector. With each year we see greater diversity in the approaches that companies, organizations, and individuals take to confronting the challenges facing our industry. These awards reflect collaborations that happen across geographies, cultures, and supply-chain roles.

Nominations are now closed for the 2026 Sustainability Awards. You can read more about the judging criteria, eligibility, process, and prize below.

FOR-PROFIT:

This award recognizes the role that for-profit companies play in the sustainability of the coffee sector. Please note that this award is for businesses that have been operating for at least three years. Products, projects, and ideas do not qualify for the award.

    1. Purpose-Driven Approach
      For-profit organizations will demonstrate a clear purpose that is reflected not only in stated commitments, but also in business culture, decision-making, and the design of products and services, addressing social, economic, and environmental challenges in coffee value chains.

    2. Networks and Market Relationships
      Businesses will show how they engage with and shape networks across the coffee value chain—including trading partners, service providers, and customers—to create mutual benefit across different scales, cultures, and geographies.

    3. Governance and Decision-Making
      Businesses will demonstrate governance structures that define accountability, decision-making authority, and strategic priorities, and show how these influence trade-offs, incentives, and long-term sustainability outcomes.

    4. Equitable Value Distribution
      The SCA uses the Sustainability Awards to advance its sustainability agenda by shaping mindsets about how value is created, measured, and distributed in coffee value chains and within firms. For-profit organizations will be evaluated on their efforts to distribute value more equitably.

      1. For this criterion, “value” refers not only to monetary returns, but also to non-monetary forms of reward in relation to the costs, risks, and investments made.

      2. Equitable distribution does not imply equal rewards for all actors, but rather appropriate rewards that reflect the value contributed, risks assumed, and costs borne.

    5. Impact and Evidence
      Businesses will clearly articulate how their models, strategies, or practices deliver measurable outcomes, supported by indicators, data, and evidence of results over time.

  • This annual award is open to SCA members. Applications must be submitted by, or on behalf of, a business in operation for a minimum of three years. An individual may submit applications for multiple businesses. 

    For 2026, there will be two rounds of review: first, a team of SCA staff will review all submissions that meet the requirements listed in the form below, considering a wide range of applicationsfrom across the specialty coffee industry. 

    A second round of applicants will be selected as finalists and may be asked to provide additional information to a panel of judges comprised of previous SCA Sustainability Award Winners.

    • SCA Sustainability Award Winner plaque

    • SCA Sustainability Award Winner logo for promotional use

    • Recognition on sca.coffee, in SCA News article and in press release

    • One complimentary three-day pass to the 2026 World of Coffee San Diego OR one complimentary three-day pass to 2026 World of Coffee Brussels to attend Sustainability Awards Reception at World of Coffee events (specific details to be determined)

    • A US $1,500 travel stipend to attend the one of the 2026 World of Coffee events

    1. Purpose-Driven Approach
      Non-profit organizations will demonstrate a clear purpose that guides their culture, actions, and initiatives, addressing intertwined social, economic, and environmental challenges across coffee value chains.

    2. Networks and Collaboration
      Organizations will show how they actively engage in and shape networks across the specialty coffee sector—including value chain actors, partners, and communities—to advance shared goals and mutual benefit across diverse contexts.

    3. Governance and Accountability
      Organizations will demonstrate governance structures that clearly define decision-making, accountability, and power, and show how these structures guide priorities, trade-offs, and long-term strategy.

    4. Equitable Value Distribution
      The SCA uses the Sustainability Awards to advance its sustainability agenda by shaping mindsets about how value is created, measured, and distributed in coffee value chains and within organizations. Non-profit organizations will be evaluated on how their initiatives contribute to more equitable distribution of value.

      1. For this criterion, “value” refers not only to monetary returns, but also to non-monetary forms of reward in relation to the costs, risks, and investments made.

      2. Equitable distribution does not imply equal outcomes for all actors, but rather appropriate rewards that reflect the value contributed, risks assumed, and costs borne.

    5. Impact and Learning
      Organizations will clearly articulate how their initiatives, strategies, or models are supported by measurable indicators and informed by results, learning, and evidence over time.

  • This annual award is open to SCA members. Applications must be submitted by, or on behalf of, an organization or project in operation for a minimum of three years. An individual may submit applications for multiple organizations/projects.

    For 2026, there will be two rounds of review: first, a team of SCA staff will review all submissions that meet the requirements listed in the form below, considering a wide range of applications from across the specialty coffee industry.

    A second round of applicants will be selected as finalists and may be asked to provide additional information to a panel of judges comprised of previous SCA Sustainability Award Winners.

    • SCA Sustainability Award Winner plaque

    • SCA Sustainability Award Winner logo for promotional use

    • Recognition on sca.coffee, in SCA News article and in press release

    • One complimentary three-day pass to the 2026 World of Coffee San Diego OR one complimentary three-day pass to 2026 World of Coffee Brussels to attend Sustainability Awards Reception at World of Coffee events (specific details to be determined)

    • A US $1,500 travel stipend to attend the one of the 2026 World of Coffee events

NON-PROFIT

This award celebrates a non-profit organization (or one of its projects) that advances the coffee sector’s pursuit of sustainability. Please note that this award is only for organizations/projects that have been operating for at least three years. Products, companies, business models, and ideas do not qualify for the award.

A note on the Individual Award: The SCA is reevaluating how to best identify and celebrate individuals from across the value chain who have contributed to advancing sustainability in the coffee industry and will pause the Individual Award until further notice.

If you have any questions on how to complete your submission, please contact sustainability@sca.coffee

Past Winners

2025

  • Fair Trade International | Non-Profit Award

  • Black Baza Coffee Co. | For-Profit Award

2024

  • Root Capital | Non-Profit Award

  • Sancoffee | For-Profit Award

2023

  • José Rivera & David Griswold | Individual Award

  • Root Capital | Non-Profit Award

  • Primavera Green Coffee | For-Profit

2022

  • David Browning | Individual Award

  • Jimma Agro-Biodiversity Project | Project Award

  • Caravela Coffee | Business Model Award

2021

  • Michael Sheridan | Individual Award

  • Alto Mayo Landscape Peru REDD+ Project | Project Award

  • Pachamama Coffee Cooperative | Business Model Award

2020

  • Dr. Timothy Schilling, Founder of World Coffee Research | Sustainability Champion Award

  • Las Manos del Café by RGC Coffee | Sustainable Project Award

  • Cooperative Coffees | Sustainable Business Model Award

2019

  • Esperanza Dionisio Castillo | Sustainability Champion Award

  • “Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and climate resilience at Yayu Biosphere Reserve” by Union Hand-Roasted Coffee | Sustainable Project Award

  • Agricafe | Sustainable Business Model Award

2018

  • Guatemalan Coffee Foundation for Rural Development (Funcafé) |  Sustainable Project Award

  • Progresso Foundation | Sustainable Business Model Award

2017

  • World Coffee Research | Sustainable Project Award

2016

  • Bukonzo Joint Cooperative Union | Sustainable Project Award

2015

  • Bunkozo Joint Cooperative for their project "Gender Action Learning System (GALS): Enhancing the participation of women coffee farmers in western Uganda” | Sustainable Project Award

2014

  • Twin & Twin Trading for their project Congo Coffee Revival - Regenerating Communities by Linking Remote Farmers to Mainstream Markets

2013

  • Pueblo a Pueblo - Organic School Garden Project

2012

  • Thanksgiving Coffee Company for their project “Responding to Climate Change: Building Community-Based Reliance"

2011

  • Grounds for Health

2010

  • Coffee Lifeline

2009

  • ZERI Foundation (Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives)

2008

  • Essent Energy Trading and Solidaridad (The Netherlands)

  • Alianza para la Sostenibilidad/ Sogimex SA/ Ecom Agroindustrial Corp Ltd. (Honduras)

2007

  • Poabs Organic/Biodynamic Estates (Producer, India) - Sustainable Business Practice and Sustainable Projects

  • Selva Negra Coffee Estate (Producer, Nicaragua) - Sustainable Business Practice and Sustainable Project

2006

  • International Paper Company & Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (Allied and Roaster, United States) - Sustainable Business Partnership Resulting in a Sustainable Product

  • La Union de Cooperativas Agropecuarias Soppexcca (Producer, Nicaragua) - Sustainable Business Practices

  • Sustainable Harvest Coffee Importers

  • Timothy's World Coffee & Embera-Chami Coffee Community

2005

  • Las Nubes Coffee, a project of the Fisher Fund for Neotropical Conservation and Timothy's World Coffee

  • Portland Roasting's Farm Friendly Direct Programs, which focus primarily on sustainable, shade-grown and organic coffees

  • Starbucks Coffee Company's Coffee and Farmer Equity Practices

2004

  • IPANEMA Agicola S/A of Minas Gerais, Brazil

  • Thanksgiving Coffee Company

  • Dean's Beans

  • ForesTrade & PPKGO