Sustainable Food Group worked with the Azzule SystemsTM and PrimusLabsTM to develop a third-party certified sustainable agriculture certification — the Sustainable Food Group Sustainability StandardTM.
THE CHALLENGE:
As sustainability becomes more important to the consumer, sustainability certifications are becoming increasingly necessary in order to show past commitments, current progress and completed goals. Third party certifications are especially valuable because they increase accountability without risking bias. There are many examples of sustainability related certifications in agriculture, including the USDA National Organic Program, Non-GMO Verified, Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade. Sustainable Food Group saw the need for a sustainability certification that encompassed a broad array of sustainability practices and metrices.
OUR ROLE:
Sustainable Food Group developed Sustainability StandardTM, a unique certification that encompasses many important areas that intersect with agriculture. The Standard addresses soil health, pest management, agrochemicals, waste, recycling, water, energy, processing, employee relations and resource conservation. The Sustainability Standard is the only standard available that is supported by Azzule System’s supply chain data management and analytics expertise, providing an integrated platform that allows buyers to track and encourage suppliers’ improvements over time while providing access to real time compliance data. Certified growers and facilities can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while reducing audit costs by combining the audit with a food safety audit.
THE OUTCOME (UPDATED JANUARY 2020):
Sustainable Food Group maintains the accredited standard. It has international applicability to a wide range of specialty crop producers, processors and packers. The Sustainability StandardTM is in the pilot phase currently. Please reach out if you are interested in becoming an approved certification body or a grower or facility interested in piloting the Standard. Visit our Sustainability StandardTM page for more details. Certification is valid for 36 months and is available as addendum to a food safety audit or as a standalone audit.
