Specialist · 2 days
Compliance, Governance & Reporting
The rules are changing. Learn what due diligence means for a coffee business, who holds power in the value chain, and how to report on it honestly.

- Level
- Specialist
- Duration
- 2 days
- Format
- In person · Online
- Teaching
- Theory
- Certificate
- SCA certificate
- Materials
- Theory handout + presentation
- Before you start
- Sustainability Foundation
The SCA Coffee Sustainability Program
Foundation first, then any order.
Four theory courses. Foundation is the prerequisite for the three specialist courses.
- Start · 1 dayFoundationSee the course
- Specialist · 2 daysClimate & CoffeeSee the course
- Specialist · 2 daysCoffee EconomicsSee the course
- Specialist · 2 daysCompliance, Governance & ReportingYou are here
What you’ll learn
By the end of the course, you can:
- 01
Explain the strengths and limits of voluntary sustainability standards.
- 02
Understand corporate due diligence and how to identify and reduce risk in a value chain.
- 03
Recognise the main sustainability laws affecting coffee, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation.
- 04
Describe how regulation affects social sustainability and producers.
- 05
Explain governance and how power is shared among coffee value chain actors.
- 06
Compare alternative governance models, such as cooperatives.
- 07
Use materiality and good data to decide what a sustainability report should cover.
- 08
Write clear, honest sustainability claims and avoid greenwashing.
Who it’s for
- Importers, exporters and roasters selling into regulated markets such as the EU.
- Compliance, quality and sustainability managers.
- Business owners preparing a sustainability report or public claims.
- Anyone working with stakeholders across the coffee value chain.
Before you come
- SCA Coffee Sustainability Foundation.
Taught by
Maryam Tabatabaei
Authorized SCA Trainer, licensed Q Arabica Grader and Q Instructor, and the UAE’s first SCA Coffee Sustainability Program trainer. Judge at the UAE National Roasting Championship, January 2026.
Small groups, in Persian or English. You learn on the floor, not just from slides.
Her story and certificatesQuestions
Before you book.
Who teaches this course?
Maryam Tabatabaei, the UAE’s first SCA Coffee Sustainability Program trainer. She teaches it in person in the UAE and live online for learners anywhere in the world.
How long is the course?
Two days. The SCA sets a minimum of 12 hours of live teaching, which leaves time for case studies and discussion.
Is this legal advice?
No. The course explains how sustainability regulation and due diligence work in coffee. For a specific legal obligation, speak to a qualified adviser.
Can I take it online?
Yes. Maryam teaches it live online or in person in the UAE.
Will this help with my company's sustainability report?
Yes. The final third of the course is about reporting: choosing what is material, collecting data and presenting it honestly.
Something else? Ask Maryam on WhatsApp.