SCA
STANDARDS
SCA Standards create a shared framework for quality, consistency, and best practices across the coffee industry. They help professionals, businesses, and educators follow clear technical, professional, and sustainability guidelines while building a common industry language.
Why standards matter in coffee
A standard is a documented set of guidelines or requirements used across an industry to create consistency, quality, and shared best practices. Standards help businesses, professionals, educators, and technicians follow common processes, use shared terminology, and maintain reliable outcomes across products, services, and operations. The goal is to provide a shared platform for innovation.
In the coffee industry, standards can apply to:
Equipment and brewing performance
Coffee evaluation and testing methods
Professional skills and competencies
Sustainability and operational practices
Shared terminology and definitions
They are designed to:
Support quality and consistency through a shared framework
Improve alignment across the industry
Provide clear technical guidance
Encourage innovation and transparency
Strengthen professional development across the coffee value chain.
Published standards
Coffee Value Assessment & Professional Competencies
Certification Standards
The following certification standards are available exclusively to SCA Members and required login access to view.
Standards in Development
The following standards are currently under review and development.
SCA-110 Green Coffee: Grading, Specifications, and Test Methods (for the Purpose of Trading)
SCA-131 Coffee Roast Level: Test Method
SCA-315 Café Batch Coffee Brewers: Specifications and Test Methods
SCA-352 Fully Automatic Espresso Machines: Specifications and Test Methods
How SCA Standards are developed
SCA Standards are developed through a collaborative process involving technical experts, industry stakeholders, and the Standards Development Panel (SDP). The process is designed to ensure standards are practical, research-driven, transparent, and globally relevant.
The development process
A new standard or revision is proposed
1
The proposal is reviewed and approved by the SDP
2
Expert working groups draft the standard
3
Stakeholders review and provide feedback
4
Revisions are made based on community input
5
Final standards are approved and published
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The development framework focuses on:
User-focused development
Industry collaboration and consensus
Research-based decision making
Transparency and inclusiveness
Innovation and continuous improvement
Global applicability
About the Standards Development Panel members
The purpose of the Standards Development Panel is to represent the interests of different stakeholder groups to review and ultimately approve the standards issued by the Specialty Coffee Association.
Non-Voting Members
The panel also includes non- voting members who support the standards development process:
The SCA Technical Officer, who serves as the panel secretary
The Executive Director of the Coffee Science Foundation, who acts as a scientific advisor and observer
SDP Voting Members
Board: Yi-Ling Wu
Farming/Processing: Luiz Roberto Saldanha Rodrigues
Trading: Nzamurambaho Malliavin
Roasting: Crystal Glaspie
Brewing: Simon James
How you can participate
Propose a Standard
Community members can propose new standards through the SCA contact form below.
1
Join an Expert Group
Professionals interested in contributing to future standards can submit their CV and areas of expertise to the SCA using the form below.
2
Review a Standard
Stakeholders directly impacted by standards in development may be invited to review drafts and provide feedback during the consultation process.
3
Use a published standard
Published standards are available to access via the SCA member portal.
4