SCAA bestows first Sustainability Award to ForesTrade and partner PPKGO

In 2004 ForesTrade and their partners PPKGO, (the Gayo Organic Coffee Farmers Association) received the Sustainability Award from the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA). PPKGO is a cooperative of over 3000 farmers within 32 communities made up mainly of the Gayo, Javanese and Acehnese ethnic groups in the Gayo Highlands of Aceh Province in Sumatra. This was the first Fair Trade coffee cooperative in Indonesia recognized by the Fairtrade Labeling Organization (FLO) in Bonn, Germany.
Presenting this award for the first time, SCAA’s Sustainability Committee wanted to recognize ForesTrade for “their efforts to strengthen and sustain the communities where coffee farmers live, work and raise their families.” ForesTrade provided the necessary technical assistance and training for implementing and monitoring the Organic and Fairtrade programs for PPKGO as a processor, importer, pre-financer and logistics coordinator.