UNDP and Lavazza partnership expand in Ecuador
Ecuador, 24 July 2025 - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Lavazza Foundation have announced a new initiative that will provide clean water access in coffee-producing areas of southern Ecuador, while also promoting environmental education in schools.
The initiative builds on previous achievements under the ProAmazonía programme, which installed 43 water systems in 27 schools, benefiting more than 1,500 children between 2022-2023. The new phase will prioritise schools in Lavazza’s supply chain areas in the cantons of Chinchipe and Palanda, enhancing water infrastructure and also having a direct impact on school environment and environmental learning.
The project will deploy innovative water filtration systems, develop murals and educational materials on sustainability, and deliver upgrades to school infrastructure such as nurseries and shaded gathering spaces. In total, the initiative aims to engage over 5,000 students and nearly 400 teachers across Chinchipe and Palanda, while strengthening community institutions and involving families in the process. These improvements are expected to enhance student health, reduce absenteeism, and improve overall learning conditions in rural and Indigenous schools.
This new phase responds to locally identified development needs and builds on the close collaboration between UNDP and the Government of Ecuador, particularly with communities in the southern Amazon region. The Italo-Latin American International Organization (IILA), has partnered with UNDP to take on the installation of drinking water systems in the region, expanding the impact of the initiative.
“The partnership between UNDP and the Lavazza Foundation in Ecuador is creating a blueprint for meaningful private sector engagement in climate action,” remarked Cassie Flynn, UNDP’s Global Director of Climate Change. “This growing collaboration demonstrates a new chapter in our joint efforts to promote deforestation-free coffee production in the Ecuadorian Amazon, and models how private sector partnerships can drive inclusive, climate-resilient development.”
This will be the first time the Lavazza Foundation channels funding through UNDP, marking a significant milestone in the partnership with a potential to expand regional collaboration around inclusive livelihoods, climate resilience and responsible agriculture.
The partnership between UN Development Programme and Lavazza launched in 2019 and has since evolved into one of UNDP’s most visible and dynamic public-private partnerships. In Ecuador, the partnership created a national model for deforestation-free coffee that now features in the country’s revised Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC).
"Ecuador stands as a pioneer in sustainable production, dedicated to conserving its vital forest heritage and developing public policies that genuinely impact people's lives. With crucial support from the international community, channeled through vertical funds like the GEF and GCF, UNDP has the privilege of partnering in these pivotal processes – processes that are truly transformative for our climate, our people, and our planet," stated Inka Mattila, Resident Representative of UNDP Ecuador.
Another tangible result of the partnership, the first batch of deforestation-free Ecuadorian coffee was launched in September 2024 in Torino, Italy, highlighting how climate-aligned production can generate global visibility and real market opportunities for producers.
Earlier this week in New York, Mario Cerutti, Chief Institutional Relations & Sustainability Officer at the Lavazza Group, met with a delegation from UNDP, to reaffirm the strategic alliance between the two organizations and present a new phase of collaboration.
“The Lavazza Foundation is excited to deepen our engagement in Ecuador through this initiative,” said Mario Cerutti, speaking at the Production the Planet Needs event in Ecuador. “By bringing safe water to schools in coffee-producing territories, we are supporting the same communities that are central to our supply chain. We see this as a way of building shared value and resilience, while ensuring that sustainability starts where our coffee originates.”
Building on the experience from and results of the partnership in Ecuador, the partnership will be scaled to additional countries. In each case, tailoring the approach to local contexts, linking climate policy, sustainable value chains, and rural development. This expansion is made possible by UNDP’s global expertise in sustainable value chains and community-based climate action, shared across more than 170 countries.
The partnership between UN Development Programme and Lavazza is planning to share their growing portfolio of work at global policy spaces, including the United Nations General Assembly in New York and the COP30 climate summit in Brazil. These public presentations will aim to spotlight how a value-driven, public–private collaboration can translate global climate commitments into tangible solutions, to inspire other companies to follow suit.
***
About UNDP
UNDP is the leading United Nations organization fighting to end the injustice of poverty, inequality, and climate change. Working with a broad network of experts and partners in 170 countries, UNDP helps nations build integrated, lasting solutions for people and the planet. On climate change, UNDP has the largest portfolio in the UN system and works with over 140 countries around the world. Through its Climate Promise, UNDP supports more than 140 countries and territories and directly benefiting 37 million people. This portfolio implements over US$2.3 billion in grant financing and draws on UNDP’s expertise in adaptation, carbon markets, climate and forests, climate strategies and policy, and mitigation.
* UNDP does not endorse any entity, brand, product or service
About Lavazza Foundation:
The Giuseppe and Pericle Lavazza Foundation is a Third Sector Entity established by the Lavazza Group in 2004 with the aim of coordinating and implementing social, environmental, and economic sustainability projects in coffee-producing communities around the world; the Foundation today supports and finances 29 projects in 18 countries on 3 continents, benefiting more than 94,000 beneficiaries, through more than 40 partners. The projects supported aim to improve the production yield and quality of coffee, while promoting the entrepreneurship of producers and the improvement of their living conditions, supporting the autonomy of local communities, through the enhancement of women's work and the involvement of new generations, accompanied by the sharing of good agricultural practices and the introduction of technological tools aimed at countering the effects of climate change.
About IILA:
The Italo-Latin American International Organization (IILA), founded in 1966 and based in Rome, is an intergovernmental body that promotes cooperation between Italy and the 20 Latin American republics. Through cultural, scientific, and socioeconomic initiatives, IILA fosters partnerships and implements cooperation projects aligned with the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
As an observer at the UN General Assembly and a special guest at Ibero-American Summits, IILA plays a strategic role in strengthening Euro-Latin American relations. It collaborates with international institutions and co-organizes the Italy–Latin America and Caribbean Conferences with the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
Its work includes supporting sustainable development, innovation, and inclusive growth across Latin America—values that align closely with UNDP and Lavazza’s commitment to responsible sourcing and community empowerment.
Media contacts:
UNDP: Sila Alici – sila.alici.kavuk@undp.org
Lavazza Foundation: Davide Asinelli- davide.asinelli@lavazza.com
IILA: Giselle Canahuati – s.socioeconomica@iila.org
