As part of the regional project “Enabling Compliance of Fairtrade Supply Chains with New EU Regulations,” project funded by German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)and Fairtrade Germany,  Fairtrade NAPP continues to equip producer organizations across Indonesia with the skills and tools needed to meet evolving European sustainability requirements while safeguarding farmer livelihoods.

Following the successful completion of  the Phase II Traininh for ten coffee cooperatives in Central Aceh, Fairtrade NAPP conducted a three-day Phase II Training on Human Rights and Environmental Risk Management for four cooperatives producing coffee, herbs, herbal teas, and spices from Java, Indonesia.

Preparing Cooperatives for New European Due-Diligence Expectations

With the European Union’s Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) regulations gaining momentum, Indonesian producers are increasingly required to demonstrate compliance throughout their production and trade processes. The Phase II training series is designed to help cooperatives anticipate these changes, build strong internal systems, and strengthen market access in the EU and beyond.

This workshop brought together 16 farmer representatives and four traders from:

• KSU Surya Abadi Kayumas
• Koperasi Sari Manggar Alami
• Koperasi Produsen Manunggal Adil Sejahtera
• Koperasi Simpan Pinjam Karya Manunggal Sejahtera

Their participation highlights the growing commitment among Indonesian SPOs to embed sustainability, transparency, and accountability in their supply chains.

Strengthening Producers’ Capacity to Navigate Global Standards: A Strategic Mix of Knowledge, Skills, and Practical Outputs

Across three intensive days, the training deepened participants’ understanding of HREDD while equipping them with practical skills to identify risks, assess impacts, and manage due-diligence obligations at the cooperative level.

The workshop blended lectures, real-life case studies, role-playing, structured learning games, and hands-on group work—creating an engaging, multi-layered learning experience.

1. A deeper understanding of HREDD and its relevance from farm to export

Participants gained clarity on:

• Emerging EU and national regulations driving due diligence
• The foundational “Protect, Respect, and Remedy” pillars
• How HREDD intersects with everyday farming, cooperative governance, labour practices, and environmental stewardship
• The importance of aligning with Fairtrade Standards and buyer expectations to avoid supply-chain disruptions

Facilitators used analogies and field-based examples to illustrate how seemingly complex regulations translate into everyday decisions—from harvesting practices and worker safety to climate resilience and traceability.

2. Strong skills to conduct comprehensive, context-driven risk assessments

In group-based practical sessions, participants:

• Mapped internal and external stakeholders by influence and vulnerability
• Identified key risks across 14 HREDD categories, including environmental degradation, labour rights issues, climate threats such as landslides, and community-level impacts
• Analysed severity, likelihood, scale, and cumulative effects
• Determined who must be involved in prevention and mitigation
• Designed realistic action plans aligned with their cooperative’s resources

Group presentations enabled knowledge-sharing across cooperatives and strengthened critical thinking.

3. Familiarity with data-driven tools to validate and prioritize risks

Participants learned how to verify and refine their risk assessments using:

• Fairtrade and cooperative datasets
• Government environmental risk maps
• Community consultation tools
• Field-based assessment methods

This strengthened their ability to rely on evidence rather than assumption—especially crucial for rapidly changing risks related to climate, land use, or social conditions.

4. A practical first draft of risk assessments and mitigation plans

By the conclusion of the training, each cooperative produced a draft risk assessment and action plan that included:

• A prioritized list of key risks
• Root-cause analysis and projected impacts
• Required stakeholders (internal and external)
• Clear prevention, mitigation, and remediation actions
• Opportunities to collaborate with government agencies or traders

These drafts will now be refined with cooperative boards and community stakeholders as part of the project’s follow-up activities.

Immediate Outcomes and Future Impact

Participants left the training with:

• Stronger technical understanding of HREDD principles
• Concrete skills to assess and manage risks
• Tools to validate and prioritize risk areas
• Actionable documents to guide internal improvements

In the long term, these competencies will enable Indonesian cooperatives to build robust, transparent, and responsible supply-chain systems, positioning them confidently for compliance with Fairtrade Standards and international due-diligence regulations.

Voices from the Field

“This training helped me understand the link between HREDD, export destinations, and certification requirements. We learned how to use available data to identify issues needing attention.”
— Elmi Nur Astuti, Koperasi Produsen Manunggal Adil Sejahtera

“Although the topic is about regulations, the facilitators made it easy to understand through analogies and hands-on practice. The risk assessment exercises were the most insightful.”
— Rini Kristiawati, Koperasi Karya Manunggal Sejahtera

“Being part of this training since the early stages helps us guide coffee producers to identify risks and meet buyers’ requirements from the farm level.”
— Purnomo, KSU Surya Abadi Kayumas

“HREDD gives us an umbrella to care for small farmers. Now we know the legal basis for risk assessments and how to consider environmental impacts more effectively.”
— Akhmad Wijaya, KSU Surya Abadi Kayumas

The Road Ahead

To ensure continuity and sustained impact:

1. SPOs will share key takeaways with their boards and management within a week.
2. Cooperatives will refine their risk assessments through stakeholder consultation throughout November 2025.
3. NAPP experts will provide ongoing guidance as cooperatives enhance their due-diligence processes.

Despite the breadth and complexity of HREDD topics, participants’ enthusiasm, openness, and commitment signal a strong readiness to adopt global sustainability expectations.

Fairtrade NAPP’s Ongoing Commitment

Fairtrade NAPP remains dedicated to supporting producer organizations with the knowledge, tools, and technical expertise needed to meet rising compliance demands—ensuring that farmers and workers not only adapt to changing global markets but thrive within them.

This workshop is part of the 03 year ongoing project (2023-26):  “Enabling Compliance of Fairtrade Supply Chains with New EU Regulations,”

Funded by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and Fairtrade Germany, this joint initiative between Forum Fairer Handel (FFH) and Fairtrade Deutschland (FT-DE) is designed to support compliance with the new EU trade regulations. The program focuses on enabling more coffee producers from India and Indonesia to meet the regulatory requirements of Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (HREDD) ensuring smooth and sustainable operations within the evolving EU trade framework.