Starbucks, Nestlé and Neumann Kaffee Gruppe are facing serious allegations from several NGOs, accused of human rights violations — including child labor and worker exploitation — across their coffee supply chains.
On Thursday, advocacy groups Coffee Watch, International Rights Advocates, and Germany’s Deutsche Umwelthilfe filed a formal complaint against the companies with Germany’s Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control (BAFA). The organizations claim the firms failed to comply with Germany’s Supply Chain Due Diligence Act, which came into effect in 2023. The law requires large companies to identify and prevent human rights abuses and environmental harm within their global supply networks.
Forced Labor and Exploitation Alleged
According to Coffee Watch, investigations revealed “serious violations” at coffee farms in China, Mexico, Brazil, and Uganda. These include instances of child labor, forced labor, poor safety conditions, and wage exploitation.
Etelle Higonnet, director of Coffee Watch, stated that “in plantations supplying Nestlé, Starbucks, and Neumann Kaffee Gruppe, children are working, people are harassed, and their rights are being violated.”
Companies Deny Wrongdoing
Nestlé responded to the allegations, saying it takes them “very seriously” and that such practices “do not align with our high standards.” The company also said it was not “directly linked to the farms in question” and that it has “ended relationships with suppliers who failed to meet our standards.”
Starbucks and Neumann Kaffee Gruppe did not immediately respond to requests for comment from AFP. However, Starbucks told German weekly Der Spiegel that it rejects the “baseless” accusations, stressing its commitment to ethical sourcing and respect for human rights throughout its operations.
The complaint adds pressure on major coffee producers already under scrutiny for sustainability and labor practices in one of the world’s most valuable agricultural industries.
