Marking 10 years of the Sustainable Coffee Challenge with Conservation International

The challenge

Despite growing recognition of sustainability issues in coffee, collective action across the global coffee value chain remained fragmented. Climate volatility, biodiversity loss, and regulatory pressures threatened sourcing strategies and long-term investment in resilient coffee landscapes.

Conservation International approached Innovation Forum to mark the 10-year milestone of the Sustainable Coffee Challenge and position it as a leading platform for coordinated action on climate, nature, and supply chain resilience.

Objectives

• Position the Sustainable Coffee Challenge’s 10-year milestone as a moment of leadership and credibility
• Engage senior stakeholders across the global coffee value chain
• Maximise visibility and impact of the Sustainable Coffee Challenge through targeted marketing and content
• Translate complex data, progress metrics and systemic challenges into clear, business-relevant narratives

Project outputs

Article

A decade of the Sustainable Coffee Challenge: mapping the next era of collaboration, climate action, and coffee resilience 

16 Dec 2025

Webinar

Coffee Landscapes Forum: 10 Years of Conservation International’s Sustainable Coffee Challenge 

15 Dec 2025

Our approach

Using our expertise in sustainability and multi-stakeholder engagement, we partnered with Conservation International to design and deliver a high-impact virtual forum. We co-developed the agenda and discussion themes, curated a senior-level panel representing producers, corporates, NGOs, and finance, and moderated the live discussion to ensure practical, forward-looking dialogue.

By producing targeted marketing, managing registrations, and providing technical support, we maximised audience engagement and extended the event’s reach. To encourage ongoing collaboration, we offered attendees an “opt-in” option to receive follow-up communications from Conservation International, ensuring the conversation continued beyond the milestone event.

Results

The partnership strengthened Conservation International’s position as a convenor and thought leader in sustainable coffee, highlighting its expertise in climate resilience, landscape investment, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.

Through Innovation Forum’s network of sustainability and business professionals, the event reached senior decision-makers across corporate, finance, and NGO sectors, generating strong engagement and new opportunities.

Participation from North and South America, Europe, and sectors including agriculture, food, finance, and retail highlighted growing corporate interest in integrating sustainability and climate resilience into coffee sourcing strategies. The forum strengthened Conservation International’s visibility, credibility, and partnership opportunities with companies, investors, and producer organisations alike.

The project helped Conservation International to:

• Position the Sustainable Coffee Challenge as a credible and innovative platform for collective action on climate, nature, and supply chain resilience.
• Showcase CI’s expertise in coffee landscape investment, governance, and sustainability metrics, strengthening its reputation as a thought leader in the sector.
• Engage Innovation Forum’s audience of sustainability and business professionals, generating new leads and fostering deeper relationships with key stakeholders.
• Demonstrate real-world impact by reflecting on a decade of progress across the global coffee value chain and identifying the next phase of collaboration to secure the future of coffee.