VERIFICATION REGULATIONS

4C VERIFICATION REGULATIONS
VERSION 2.1 | APRIL 2016
Oversight Organisation and/ or Coffee Assurance Services during periodic oversight desk audits/
witness audits/ office visits.
8.1.5 Gender balance of the Verifier team - recommendation
Recommendation: It is recommended that 4C Verifier companies have a gender balanced team during
on-site visits of 4C Verifications.
Guidance: The gender balance of a verifier team is important to 4C Verification. A high number of
women work in the coffee sector. In many cases, due to socio-cultural reasons, male verifiers are not
always able to conduct in-depth interviews with female producers or workers and verify their living
conditions effectively.
When the verifier team is gender-balanced and splits up (normally after the interview with the
Managing Entity), the task division should take the gender aspect into account in order to ensure that
the female verifier has the possibility to interview as many female producers and workers as possible.
In case of absence of female auditors, male auditors should follow good practices of gender sensitive
interviewing.
8.2 REQUIREMENTS FOR VERIFIER COMPETENCE
Requirement: 4C Verifiers MUST ensure that any team selected to conduct a 4C Verification is
competent to deliver the expected results. 4C Verifier companies MUST keep records of team
competence for a minimum of six years.
Guidance: Coffee Assurance Services operates in most coffee producing regions, where there is a large
cultural and contextual diversity.
Every Verifier team must have a Lead Verifier as a team leader. Competence requirements for the Lead
Verifier are different from other team members.
Any observer participating as part of the Verification team is only observing the verification and has no
competency in the Verification unless s/he is part of the 4C Verifier Company in an internal training to
become a 4C Verifier.
Verifier companies must refer to ISO 19011: 2012 for general guidance on competence. Additional, 4Cspecific
requirements are listed below and are divided into two parts: (1) trainings and (2) requirements
on knowledge, skills, competencies and experience.
8.2.1 Training
All 4C Verifiers must be trained on 4C Verifications. The training can be conducted by the Coffee
Assurance Services or internally by an experienced 4C Lead verifier. There are two levels of verifier
qualification: Lead verifier and Verifier.
Training requirement(s) for Lead verifiers:
OR
Option 1 (External training provided by 4C):
Successfully participate in a five-day 4C Verifier training conducted by the Coffee Assurance
Services; pass the final examination, and receive a Lead verifier certificate.
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