The number of sustainability initiatives applicable to the agro-food sector is constantly increasing.  This is a positive development which also has a downside: consumers as well as producers might easily get confused about the meaning, value, relevance and credibility of these different initiatives. Brandowner and Retail companies might also encounter difficulty in engaging or implementing such initiatives. Fairfood International aims to provide well-informed advice to these groups on the various sustainability initiatives that we research.

Research

Through desk research and contact with international experts and organisations, identified initiatives are assessed and characterized as sustainability solutions. Fairfood defines sustainability solutions as initiatives that are successful in addressing priority social, ecological and economic sustainability issues in agro-food production, sourcing, processing or supply.  These initiatives can be categorized as certification labels, corporate programs, sector / multi-stakeholder initiatives or subject-specific initiatives and can exist in local or international contexts, small-scale or widespread. Some focus on single issues (e.g. deforestation, market access, corruption, gender-discrimination), while others cover a broad sustainability agenda.

Additionally, Fairfood also researches initiatives in several subsectors such as tea, fruit, soy, coffee, cocoa, spices, etc. The information is documented in reports, briefs and overviews which are regularly updated.

Implementation partners

Fairfood not only conducts studies on the different initiatives, we also assist brand owner companies in finding a suitable implementation partner that works with them to increase the sustainability of their production and supply chains. We put a lot of effort into creating an active network of international experts, consultancies and organisations in northern as well as southern countries. These implementation partners have the specific knowledge and expertise that can be applied in assisting companies to make their production chain more fair, transparent and sustainable. In the end, however, the responsibility for increasing sustainability remains with the brand owner.

Contact

To obtain more details about Fairfood’s overview of standard solutions (certification labels and standards), implementation partners or the criteria used to assess the standard solutions, please contact Anselm Iwundu.

For details and implementation partners for customised solutions (corporate programs, multi-stakeholder initiatives and other good practices), please contact Janine Dortmundt.

Brandowners and suppliers who would like to obtain more information or advice on applying to Fairfood International’s sustainability solutions please contact your current account manager at Fairfood. If you do not have an account manager yet, you can contact Han Valk (manager Lobby).