The EU‑funded SustainCoffee project aims to help Vietnamese coffee businesses meet international ESG standards. Understanding its plan shows how millions of farmers and workers could see real change.

The project, called SustainCoffee – Advancing ESG Practices in the Coffee Sector in Vietnam, will run from December 2025 to May 2029 in Son La and Dak Lak provinces. It will give more than 400 micro, small and medium‑sized coffee enterprises and cooperatives ESG self‑assessment toolkits, training courses, expert consultations and financial support packages. Le Kim Dung, head of CARE International in Vietnam, explained that these tools are meant to help businesses apply sustainable solutions in production, processing and trading.

According to the project’s initial assessment, only 44 % of surveyed coffee businesses have formal corporate‑governance practices, none have published sustainability reports, and just 1 % have accessed green credit. Moreover, only about 30 % of Vietnam’s coffee output currently comes from certified or traceable supply chains. The project therefore expects to directly benefit over 400 businesses and indirectly benefit around 1.4 million farmers and workers.

The EU Delegation to Vietnam said the initiative will improve competitiveness, enhance transparency and enable Vietnamese coffee producers to meet growing international traceability and sustainability requirements. It will also work on improving traceability, linking firms with green financing sources and strengthening local capacity for ESG consulting. By doing so, the project hopes to help Vietnamese coffee stay competitive in global markets.

If the plan succeeds, millions of coffee farmers and workers could enjoy more stable incomes and better working conditions, while Vietnamese coffee brands may gain easier access to export markets. The SustainCoffee project shows how a large ESG programme can reshape an entire sector.