The People Behind IMPACT: Meet Suzanne and Robin 

Suzanne Uittenbogaard, Group Sustainability Program Manager, and Robin Hooft van Huysduynen, Global IMPACT & APAC Regional Sustainability Manager, are two of the driving forces behind IMPACT, Sucafina’s strategic sourcing program. In this Q&A, they share what their work on IMPACT looks like day-to-day and the value it’s delivering for farmers, coffee communities and roasters. 

1. When did you join Sucafina and can you tell us about your career journey? 
Robin: My Sucafina journey started in 2019 as Sustainability Coordinator for Ugacof (Sucafina in Uganda). I was responsible for building out direct-sourcing supply chains in central Uganda: identifying and rolling out farmer products and services that supported household resilience. Before Sucafina, I worked for a boutique consultancy, supporting the design of market-driven pathways to sustainability.  

Suzanne: I joined Sucafina 3.5 years ago. Before that I worked in cocoa sustainability for over 7 years. I started when certification was the name of the game, and transitioned to Sustainability Director as the sustainability agenda expanded, overseeing work on farmer livelihoods and transparency. I moved into coffee to be closer to origin and work on diversity and innovation in sustainability programming.  

2. What do your roles on Sucafina’s Global Sustainability Team involve?  

Robin: I oversee IMPACT globally and support our trade teams with positioning IMPACT coffees, as well as providing project coordination support. 

Suzanne: As Sustainability Program Manager, I work with our team of subject matter experts to oversee the implementation of our Sustainability Strategy and projects. This includes delivering sustainability solutions across the value chain, from IMPACT Beyond to deforestation-free coffees.  

3. What makes IMPACT different from other sourcing programs?  

Robin: IMPACT has two paths, so roasters can choose the solution that best meets their needs. IMPACT Verified offers responsibly sourced, traceable coffees, while supporting continuous improvement at origin. IMPACT Beyond goes further by driving lasting, measurable change in five key areas of sustainability in coffee. 

Everything about IMPACT is data-driven. Both IMPACT verification data and IMPACT Beyond baseline assessment data guide our decisions and ensure we design projects that are relevant to the farmers and landscape we are operating in. Through IMPACT Verification Reports, we are able to transparently show how IMPACT farmer groups are progressing against IMPACT criteria, and which activities groups will undertake to further strengthen compliance.  

4. IMPACT Verified relies on a rigorous verification process. Can you explain what that involves and why it’s important? 

Robin: Verification is central to IMPACT because it provides confidence that coffees meet clear and measurable environmental, socioeconomic and traceability standards.  

IMPACT Verified supply chains are assessed internally first. When farmer groups are ready for an independent audit, they are assessed by a third-party auditor against our IMPACT criteria. The auditors Sucafina uses must meet our requirements and pass an IMPACT exam. This two-step process strengthens accountability and credibility, while helping farmer groups identify opportunities for improvement.  

5. Can you tell us about an IMPACT Beyond project that you’re especially proud of, and what it’s delivering at origin?  

Suzanne: Sometimes the simplest-seeming solutions can be the most impactful. Take coffee tree renovation, for instance. It may seem obvious, but losing 1-2 years of yield often deters farmers. We’re working on a project with our partners in Rwanda to bridge that gap: farmers receive regular cash payments, agronomy training and inputs, which means the risk of income loss is shared. 

Another example is our biodigester program in Kenya. Biodigesters convert animal waste into biogas for cooking and also produce organic compost. Again, it seems like a simple solution, but it has wide-ranging impacts for farming households, addressing coffee productivity, health and women’s empowerment. 

Robin: For me, it’s our work to promote human rights and farming communities in Papua New Guinea. By distributing vegetable seeds to farmers, we are boosting household resilience. We’re also constructing water wells to improve access to clean water. The environments are often quite challenging, but our team’s passion and strong sense of purpose keep them motivated and making progress. 

6. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned while working on IMPACT? 

Suzanne: It’s perhaps not that surprising, but it’s worth emphasizing the time it takes to conduct robust supply chain assessments and collect meaningful, actionable data. It takes immense effort to accurately measure carbon footprints, assess uptake of regenerative practices and understand the context around human rights issues. It’s vital to have very skilled data collectors in the field.  

Robin: I agree, and I would add that the regulatory environment around IMPACT has evolved a lot. It isn’t always easy to manage directional changes and pivot, but farmers, our sustainability teams and partners are agile, and we manage the complexity where we can.  

7. And the most rewarding aspect?  

Suzanne: For me, it’s building partnerships with a tangible outcome. When an idea lands well, our country teams know it addresses a real need on the ground and a client trusts our expertise to deliver it. Knowing I helped connect those pieces is incredibly fulfilling.  

Robin: Agreed! It’s also very rewarding when a project activity results in increased adoption of beneficial practices and you know you’re tapping into farmers’ real needs. Identifying those practices takes more time than you might think. There’s a lot of trial and error and patience is key, for all stakeholders involved.  

Want to learn more about how IMPACT can help your business meet your sustainability goals? Or are you interested in partnering with us to implement a project in your supply chain? Get in touch with your trader today.