How COSA Uses Baserow to Automate EU Market Compliance for Coffee

“Centralizing data entry from coffee farmers to meet EU import standards was a challenge with spreadsheets. Baserow provided the data governance and API integrations we needed to streamline compliance.”

— CIO / Head of IT, COSA

COSA replaced disconnected spreadsheets with a centralized, API-enabled Baserow database to manage critical sustainability data. Now, they help coffee producers efficiently meet strict EU import standards while ensuring robust data governance.

Industry

Non-Profit / Sustainability (Public Sector)

Organization Size

Global Consortium

Region

Global

Platform Capabilities

• Database & Data Governance
• API-First Architecture
• Public Forms
• Regulatory Compliance Tracking

The Committee on Sustainability Assessment (COSA) is a global consortium dedicated to accelerating agricultural sustainability through robust data and science. They provide the metrics and tools necessary to measure the environmental and social impacts of farming practices. With the introduction of strict new regulations, such as the European Union’s requirements on supply chain transparency, the need for accurate, granular data from the farm level is critical.

Challenge: Centralizing Data for EU Standards

For coffee producers, accessing the European market now requires proving compliance with rigorous import standards. This involves collecting and verifying vast amounts of data directly from farmers, including geolocation data and farming practices.

Previously, this process relied on spreadsheets to manage this data. However, as regulatory demands tightened, this manual approach became unsustainable. Spreadsheets created data silos, lacked the necessary validation to ensure accuracy, and made it difficult to securely share information with regulators. To keep the EU market open for producers, COSA needed a solution that prioritized data governance and could ingest data from various sources without breaking.

Solution: Compliance-Ready Database

COSA selected Baserow to build a secure system capable of centralizing data entry for compliance. By moving from static files to a relational database, they created a robust framework for sustainability tracking.

• Centralized Data Entry: COSA utilizes Baserow to aggregate data streams from individual coffee farmers. The platform standardizes inputs, ensuring that all data required for EU import standards is present and correctly formatted before it is processed.
• API-Driven Connectivity: Leveraging Baserow’s API-first architecture, COSA can integrate the database with other sustainability tools and reporting platforms. This ensures that data flows seamlessly from the farm to the final compliance report without manual copying and pasting.
• Governance & Security: Baserow provides the granular permissions and audit capabilities needed to maintain strict data governance, ensuring that sensitive producer data is handled securely and in compliance with global standards.

Results: Secured Market Access and Data Integrity

1. Meeting EU Import Standards

By transitioning to Baserow, COSA has streamlined the process of verifying compliance. The structured database allows for quick auditing and reporting, ensuring that coffee producers can provide the necessary documentation to enter the EU market without delay.

2. Enhanced Data Governance

Replacing spreadsheets with a relational database has eliminated version control issues and data corruption. The IT team now has full oversight of how data is collected, stored, and accessed, significantly reducing the risk of non-compliance due to human error.

3. Scalable Data Ingestion

The use of API integrations allows COSA to scale their data collection efforts. As more farmers and regions are added to the program, the system can handle the increased load without requiring a proportional increase in administrative effort.

Future Outlook

With a secure, API-first foundation now established, COSA is equipped with a complete data management solution for the countries they partner with. Baserow is the central data hub that connects to open-source monitoring tools and analytical platforms already in use by the countries.  As EU import standards and global sustainability regulations evolve, the IT team can now rapidly adapt their data models without disrupting operations, ensuring that producers remain compliant and connected to global markets long-term. The solution built with Baserow is now being rolled out to more African countries with the support of the UN.