Summary
This paper analyses the impact of Voluntary Sustainability Standards (VSSs) on labour rights in the coffee production sector of Cerrado Mineiro, a traditional region in Brazil. In 2017, Brazil underwent a comprehensive reform of its labour laws and legal institutions. Based on qualitative research using primary and secondary data, this research investigates whether VSSs were effective in preserving labour rights for rural workers in a more deregulated institutional environment following the 2017 labour reform. Results indicate that VSSs do not guarantee labour rights, and that labour law relaxation may endanger rural coffee workers.