Lecture Description
What does the coffee sector think about how value is created and shared? How do different actors feel about this? Are we making progress towards equity? And what are the sector's visions for the future? In 2023 and again in 2025, the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) conducted a global survey to explore these questions.
In this lecture, the SCA takes the role of narrator—making sense of the findings from the 2025 Equitable Value Distribution survey. Rather than offering a single view, we share the range of experiences and perceptions gathered from respondents across the value chain, including where there is diversity and tension, and where there is consensus.
Date: Sunday, April 12, 2026
Time: 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Location: Room 24C
Category: Sustainability
Access: This lecture is free to attend with a World of Coffee entry badge. Register to attend World of Coffee here.
Please note that lecture sessions are open on a first-come, first-served basis. Early arrival is highly recommended to secure your seat.
Speakers
Laurel Carmichael
Editor and Writer, Specialty Coffee Association
Laurel Carmichael is the Content Development Manager and Editor of 25 at the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). At the SCA, their work involves writing, editing, and helping shape publications, including the Equitable Value Distribution Report that is the foundation of this lecture. Prior to joining the SCA in 2024, Laurel spent over 10 years as a barista, roaster, and green coffee buyer in their home country of New Zealand, and in Berlin, Germany. Laurel's work is motivated by a desire for collective learning and greater equity in the coffee sector.
Andrés Montenegro
Sustainability Manager, Specialty Coffee Association
Andrés Montenegro is a leading figure in sustainability leadership within the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), where he drives the sector's strategic evolution toward business models that are more equitable, resilient, and oriented toward shared value. With an international background in agri-food systems and sustainable development, he has spearheaded initiatives that integrate social impact, new value economies, and processes of deep organizational transformation. His work sits at the intersection of sustainability, strategy, and systemic leadership, guiding coffee organizations and communities in their transition toward models that are more conscious, adaptive, and capable of co-creating the future of the sector.