The role of farmers' relationships for modern slavery eradication in the coffee supply chain

"The aim of this research proposal is to collect money for mobility of the principal investigator and the collaborator for this research for data gathering in the coffee supply chain in Brazil. Specifically, this research project aims to study how dyadic relationships in a global supply chain can tackle modern slavery issues. The global supply chain investigated is the coffee supply chain. Coffee European major brands buy coffee beans from different areas of the world, especially Central and Lantin America and Africa, that are roasted in plants in Europe. Despite often buying from certified coffee plantation, recent evidence showed that working conditions in these plantations are not protecting workers. Instead they can be associated to the modern slavery concept. Indeed, major coffee brands have acknowledged the usage of child slavery, precarious working conditions, migrant exploitation in their coffee supply chains but have yet to take meaningful action against these practices. Large coffee companies want to make as much profit as possible which often times means that farmers are left at the short end of the stick not being able to make a living income from coffee beans. Thus, farmers enact socially unsustainable and sometimes illegal practices in the management of its workforce.
In this study, we aim to investigate if and how dyadic relationships between farmers and different coffee supply chain actors (e.g., NGOs, certificatory agency, cooperative of farmers, farmer associations, governmental entities and buyers) might affect a significant change in these practices. The study will be conducted in Brazil focusing on the Illy coffee supply chain. Illy is a major Italian coffee roaster that has been investing in the last thirty years to improve working conditions in its supply chain through direct links with farmers and the support of different actors in the supply chain. "

"The aim of this research proposal is to collect money for mobility of the principal investigator and the collaborator for this research for data gathering in the coffee supply chain in Brazil. Specifically, this research project aims to study how dyadic relationships in a global supply chain can tackle modern slavery issues. The global supply chain investigated is the coffee supply chain. Coffee European major brands buy coffee beans from different areas of the world, especially Central and Lantin America and Africa, that are roasted in plants in Europe. Despite often buying from certified coffee plantation, recent evidence showed that working conditions in these plantations are not protecting workers. Instead they can be associated to the modern slavery concept. Indeed, major coffee brands have acknowledged the usage of child slavery, precarious working conditions, migrant exploitation in their coffee supply chains but have yet to take meaningful action against these practices. Large coffee companies want to make as much profit as possible which often times means that farmers are left at the short end of the stick not being able to make a living income from coffee beans. Thus, farmers enact socially unsustainable and sometimes illegal practices in the management of its workforce.
In this study, we aim to investigate if and how dyadic relationships between farmers and different coffee supply chain actors (e.g., NGOs, certificatory agency, cooperative of farmers, farmer associations, governmental entities and buyers) might affect a significant change in these practices. The study will be conducted in Brazil focusing on the Illy coffee supply chain. Illy is a major Italian coffee roaster that has been investing in the last thirty years to improve working conditions in its supply chain through direct links with farmers and the support of different actors in the supply chain. "