Solidaridad Deutschland

What Solidaridad Deutschland does

Solidaridad Deutschland e.V. is a German-registered non-profit association (eingetragener Verein) operating as the German branch of the global Solidaridad Network, a development cooperation organization with nearly 60 years of experience working with smallholder farmers in over 40 countries. The entity itself is small (6 employees, headquartered in Freiburg im Breisgau) and was registered in 2021 under Melanie Rutten-Sülz as Managing Director. It delivers its mission through three interlocking workstreams: on-the-ground commodity programs in coffee, cocoa, cotton/textiles, and palm oil across Latin America, Africa, and Asia; digital tool development (notably the TRACE blockchain traceability platform and Farm2Forest Link satellite analysis tool, both consolidated via the June 2026 Fairfood fusion); and EU policy advocacy on supply chain due diligence regulations (EUDR, CSDDD, German LkSG).

The organization's revenue model is entirely donor-funded rather than commercial. Income streams include institutional project grants from the EU Commission, GIZ, and KfW; corporate co-funding partnerships with chocolate producers (Ritter, Barry Callebaut, Albrecht & Dill) and food/retail companies (ADM); multi-year lottery funding from Deutsche Postcode Loterie (€350,000 in 2025); and individual donations via online forms. It produces recognized sector publications (Kaffee-Barometer, Kakao-Barometer, Palmöl-Barometer, Cotton Rankings) and runs advocacy campaigns such as the "Good Clothes Fair Pay" European Citizens' Initiative that collected approximately 1 million signatures. Customers are effectively a dual constituency: smallholder farming cooperatives in the Global South (the operational beneficiaries) and the institutional/corporate partners that fund interventions (the de facto purchasers).

At the network level, Solidaridad reports material scale: 1.2 million smallholder farmers trained in good agricultural practices, 1.9 million hectares under sustainable management, 643,007 farmers with documented income increases, and over 1,000 colleagues worldwide. The German entity's specific books are not publicly disclosed, but it serves as the policy, European fundraising, and corporate partnership hub for the German-speaking market and for EU-level advocacy work.

Name

Solidaridad Deutschland

Legal name

Solidaridad Deutschland e. V.

Website

https://solidaridad.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Solidaridad Deutschland is a Freiburg-based non-profit association and German branch of the global Solidaridad network, working with smallholder farmers across coffee, cocoa, cotton, and palm oil supply chains through field projects, digital traceability tools, and EU policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Development Cooperation and Sustainable Supply Chains

NAICS

Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511), Forest Nurseries and Gathering of Forest Products (11321)

SIC

Forestry (800), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGALAI

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH) Solutions

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Enterprises & Impact Organizations

SECONDARYBPAGAGAI

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYEUABABAD

Agroforestry & Perennial Cropping Systems

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Carbon & Climate Solutions (Carbon Markets, Offsets, CCS/CCUS)/Carbon Project Development & Origination (Nature-based & Tech-based)

SECONDARYBPADALAG

Sustainable Agriculture, Food Systems & Land Management

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

SECONDARYBPAGAGAD

Forestry & Reforestation

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Environmental & Conservation Organizations

SECONDARYIMAMAJAJ

Sustainable Forest Certification & Chain-of-Custody Services (FSC/PEFC/SFI)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Paper & Forest Products/Forest Management, Reforestation & Carbon Forestry Services

SECONDARYBPADALAM

Circular Economy & Resource Efficiency

Business & Public Services/International Organizations & Development/Climate, Environment & Sustainable Development Programs

Keywords

• Sustainable supply chains
• Smallholder farmer support
• Agricultural development
• Supply chain traceability
• Sustainable commodities

Headquarters

HQ city

Freiburg im Breisgau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Project Funding: Majority of funding comes from institutional donors including EU Commission, GIZ, KfW, and national governments for development projects focused on sustainable agriculture and supply chain transformation.
2. Private Sector Partnerships: Partnerships with companies like Ritter, ADM, Barry Callebaut, and retailers provide project co-funding and implementation support.
3. Postcode Loterie Funding: Deutsche Postcode Loterie provides flexible multi-year support as Postcode Partner to strengthen organizational capacity.
4. Donations: Individual donations through online forms support organizational mission and project work.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Solidaridad Deutschland is a non-profit that implements development cooperation projects to make global supply chains fair and sustainable, working directly with smallholder farmers in coffee, cocoa, cotton, and palm oil value chains. It delivers training in sustainable agricultural practices, facilitates market access and policy advocacy, and provides digital traceability tools (TRACE blockchain platform) to enable transparent supply chains and carbon credit generation. The organization operates within the global Solidaridad network and is funded through institutional grants, corporate partnerships, and donations rather than commercial sales.

Product overview

Solidaridad Deutschland is an NGO that works to make supply chains fair and sustainable globally. The organization operates as part of the larger Solidaridad Network with over 1,000 colleagues in 40+ countries. Its core offerings include the TRACE traceability platform (acquired through 2026 Fairfood fusion), the Climate Heroes program for carbon market access, RECLAIM Sustainability! for supply chain advocacy, and specialized programs for specific commodities (coffee, cocoa, cotton/textiles, palm oil). The organization also produces sector barometers (Coffee, Cocoa, Palm Oil, Cotton Rankings) and publishes an annual Fair Fashion Guide. Key tools include Farm2Forest Link for EUDR compliance and the SOC Model for soil carbon measurement. All activities are supported through partnerships with companies, institutions, and funding organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Climate Heroes Program Program supporting smallholder farmers in implementing climate-friendly farming methods such as agroforestry, enabling farmers to generate Carbon Removal Units (CRUs), access carbon markets, and reduce their CO2 footprint while improving farm resilience.
• RECLAIM Sustainability! Multi-country program focusing on advocacy and digital innovation for sustainable supply chains. Combines digital tools with on-the-ground work to improve smallholder farmer livelihoods and promote responsible business practices.
• NI-SCOPS (National Initiatives for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders) Program demonstrating that palm oil can contribute to Paris Climate Agreement goals while improving livelihoods of smallholder farmers and workers. Shows sustainable and climate-smart palm oil production is possible.
• Bottom Up! (Ethiopia Textile Program) Program working with 14 producers, 19,200 workers, and 2,000 farmers to improve labor and environmental standards in Ethiopian cotton and apparel industry. Completed in 2023.
• Q C Conta Project Project implementing a global complaints mechanism adapted to the Brazilian coffee sector context. Implemented supply chain due diligence requirements under German Lieferkettengesetz (LkSG). Completed in 2023.
• Farm2Forest Link Analytical tool developed to precisely distinguish agricultural areas from forests, addressing False Positives under EUDR. Prevents smallholder farmers from being unjustly excluded from markets due to unclear satellite data or misinterpretation of agroforestry systems.
• Cool Farm SOC Model for Coffee and Cocoa Soil Organic Carbon model for perennial crops developed jointly with Cool Farm. Enables companies with climate goals and Net-Zero commitments to document Scope 3 emissions transparently and credibly. Tested on coffee and cocoa supply chains.
• Fair Fashion Guide Shopping guide helping consumers navigate sustainable fashion. Includes interactive quiz, material guide, greenwashing warning signs, certification checklist, and practical alternatives to fast fashion. Available as free PDF download.
• TRACE Tool Blockchain-based traceability platform that enables smallholder farmers to transparently track the journey of agricultural products from harvest to consumer. Allows real-time monitoring of CO2 reduction and links Carbon Removal Units to specific farming activities and quantities.
• Annual Reports (Jahresberichte) Annual reports documenting Solidaridad's global impact including 1.2 million smallholder farmers trained in good agricultural practices, 1.9 million hectares under sustainable management, and 643,007 farmers with increased income.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1.2 million smallholder farmers trained in sustainable practices
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Albrecht & Dill Trading GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Partnership to make cocoa supply chains more sustainable, working since 2023 with four cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire. Focus on supporting cocoa farmers in adopting sustainable practices.
• GIZcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit provides funding and implementation support for various projects including Q C Conta (supply chain law application in Brazil), SAFE project, and EUDR regional dialogues.
• RittercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman chocolate producer partnering on biochar pilot project in Nicaragua to improve cocoa cultivation through carbon sequestration and soil improvement methods.
• FairfoodcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDigital innovation NGO merging into Solidaridad network August 2026, bringing TRACE, Collect, Connect, and Navigate tools as open-source solutions. Partnership in RECLAIM Sustainability! program.
• FairfoodcoreTechnology or IntegrationFairfood's TRACE tool piloted with coffee cooperatives in Uganda and Honduras, enabling blockchain-based traceability from farm to cup.
• Etisk Handel DanmarkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDanish ethical trading initiative partner in Bottom Up! project for sustainable Ethiopian textile sector.
• MVO NiederlandeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch CSR organization partner in Bottom Up! project for sustainable Ethiopian textile sector.
• Deutscher KaffeeverbandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Q C Conta project implementing global complaint mechanism for Brazilian coffee sector under German supply chain law.
• ProforestminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpertise partner in EUDR regional dialogues providing knowledge on multi-stakeholder dialogue implementation.
• Tropical Forest AllianceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExpertise partner in EUDR regional dialogues for sustainable commodity supply chains.
• Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-published Cotton and Biodiversity report, partnership for regenerative cotton cultivation projects in India.
• Good On YouminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Cotton Rankings 2025 evaluating fashion industry dependence on plastic fibers.
• Global Coffee Platform (GCP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint study with IDH and Solidaridad on value distribution in coffee industry, commissioning research on coffee sector economics.
• IDHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSustainable trade initiative co-commissioning study on coffee industry value distribution and sector dialogue facilitation.
• PlanboocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal biochar carbon sequestration provider partnering on agricultural improvement in Zambian cotton sector and Tanzania coffee sector.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Global Coffee Platform: Non-profit convening coffee producers, industry, and civil society on sustainability; co-published research with IDH and Solidaridad on coffee value distribution and sector dialogue.
• Fairfood: Dutch NGO that developed the TRACE blockchain traceability platform; merged into Solidaridad in August 2026. Historically a direct peer in digital supply-chain transparency and smallholder farmer inclusion.
• Proforest: Specialist NGO supporting companies and producers on responsible sourcing and landscape approaches for commodities including palm oil, soy, and cocoa — direct overlap with Solidaridad on EUDR dialogues and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• IDH - The Sustainable Trade Initiative: Convening organization that partners with companies, governments, and NGOs to make commodity supply chains more sustainable; joint study partner with Solidaridad on value distribution in the coffee industry.
• Organic Cotton Accelerator (OCA): Multi-stakeholder organization scaling organic cotton from farm to brand; co-publisher with Solidaridad of the Cotton and Biodiversity report and partner on regenerative cotton in India.
• Rainforest Alliance: Global sustainability certification organization working with smallholder farmers in coffee, cocoa, and other commodities on certification, traceability, and landscape-level sustainability — directly overlapping Solidaridad's core value chain.
• Fairtrade International: Fair trade certification and producer support organization for coffee, cocoa, cotton, and other commodities; operates the Fairtrade Minimum Price and Premium model alongside producer support services very similar to Solidaridad's work.

Broad incumbents

• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit): German federal development agency that not only funds but also implements supply-chain and sustainable agriculture projects in partner countries; a major counterpart and funder of Solidaridad Deutschland.

Emerging players

• Cool Farm Alliance: Member-based organization developing the Cool Farm Tool for GHG and water measurement in agriculture; partnered with Solidaridad on the Soil Organic Carbon model for coffee and cocoa.

Regional players

• Etisk Handel Danmark: Danish ethical trading initiative that partners with Solidaridad on the Bottom Up! Ethiopia textile project; comparable mission around CSR/sustainable supply chains but anchored in Denmark rather than Germany.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solidaridad-deutschland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solidaridad Deutschland