Human Source Investigation into Modern Slavery Risk in Brazil’s Coffee Supply Chain
Client objective
An international client sought an independent, defensible assessment of modern slavery and labor-rights risk linked to coffee suppliers in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Public disclosures and sustainability certifications were insufficient for the client’s reputational and ESG risk requirements.
Our role
Madeleine Research was engaged to deliver a human-source-led investigation to determine real-world labor conditions across farms, cooperatives, and exporters — focusing on where risk actually materialises, not where it is reported.
Approach: Human Intelligence–Led Due Diligence
We conducted a field-informed, source-driven inquiry designed to move beyond paper compliance.
The investigation included:
Interviews with 20+ human sources across government, labor, NGOs, certification bodies, industry insiders, and former employees
Cross-checking of claims between regulators, workers’ representatives, auditors, and management
Focus on seasonal harvest labor, historically the highest-risk phase for exploitation
Analysis of certification credibility versus operational reality
This triangulated approach allowed us to test official narratives against lived experience.
Key Findings
No evidence of systemic forced labor at the companies under review
Risk exposure identified upstream, at the level of small third-party farms employing migrant harvest workers, where cases of modern slavery do exist.
We discovered cases of modern slavery underreported.
Moreover, sustainability certifications reduce risk but are not fail-safe:
Audits are scheduled
Inspections often prioritise environmental issues over labor conditions
Abuses can occur episodically and evade formal oversight
Distance from the farm gate increases reliance on trust, certification, and reputation, creating blind spots in cooperative and exporter models
Client Value Delivered
The investigation enabled the client to:
Distinguish perceived ESG risk from actual operational risk
Identify where reputational exposure genuinely sits
Make informed supplier and engagement decisions
Demonstrate credible, defensible due diligence to stakeholders and partners