Episode 9: From Fairtrade to Fairplay

Two Sides of the Same Cup of Coffee

"Coffee improves your mood, but it is also a lifeline." – That’s how Madeline Muga, Strategy and Impact Director at Fairtrade Africa, describes the deeper meaning behind every cup of coffee.

In this Beyond Compliance episode, life from SoS.25 in Mannheim Rosengarten, we explore together with Dieter Overath, why compliance measures mean nothing if nothing happens at the very start of the supply chain. Madeline shares her perspective from the first mile:

“Before you drink your coffee or eat your chocolate, it all starts with the farmer. (...) Measures will only have an impact if we’re doing the right things from the start.”

Key topics we discuss:

• Certification includes inclusion: Why fairness isn’t just about the label, but about ensuring that farmers have a voice.

• Training and advocacy: Giving farmers the knowledge to comply and the platform to influence regulations that are often made “without asking us.”

• Climate and migration: Why young people leaving for big cities is just as dangerous as climate change itself.

• How coffee tells a story: “Coffee soaks up everything – if it’s too hot, too cold, too wet, you taste it in the beans.”

• Women at the table: How programs like the Women’s School of Leadership make invisible farm women visible and influential.

• From data to stories: How transparency and traceability can close the gap between the first and last mile – making the faces behind each cup visible.

This episode reveals why Fairplay in coffee, chocolate, or banana industry means starting with the farmers, amplifying their voices, and seeing the two sides of the same cup – the beautiful beverage we love and the lifeline it provides.