SCS’ Sustainably Grown Program Achieves Silver Level Equivalence with SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment Tool

The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform) and SCS Global Services (SCS) are pleased to announce the outcome of a benchmarking effort between SCS’ Sustainably Grown® Certification Program and SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) tool. Sustainably Grown has earned Silver level equivalence to the FSA Version 2.0. This accomplishment means that products certified as Sustainably Grown can also be recognized at FSA silver level and contribute to many SAI Platform members’ sustainable sourcing targets.

SAI Platform created the FSA in 2014 as a tool to assess the level of on-farm sustainability and to benchmark existing standards. The benchmarking process involves scoring against 112 questions as well as a consistency check by a SAI Platform-approved independent expert. The tool is used in 32 countries and available in 19 languages for a variety of food and beverage agricultural ingredients.

“We congratulate SCS on the successful completion of the benchmarking process,” said Joe Rushton, FSA Manager at SAI Platform. “This reflects SCS’ commitment to promoting harmonization and transparency in sustainability schemes and responsible sourcing. Sustainably Grown is one of only a handful of U.S. sustainability initiatives to achieve this level of equivalence.”

“This recognition enables our certified customers to gain added recognition and value for their efforts,” commented Lesley Sykes, Manager of the Sustainably Grown program at SCS. “It made perfect sense to undergo this benchmarking process and partner with SAI Platform since our mutual interest is in increasing transparency and efficiencies in responsible sourcing.”

SCS has certified agricultural operations around the world to the Sustainably Grown standard. The certification program is accredited by ANSI, aligned with the Global Social Compliance Programme (GSCP), and recognized by Unilever, the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) under its Sustainability Initiative of Fruit and Vegetables (SIFAV) basket of standards, and major brands as part of their sustainable sourcing policies. Fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, grains, and other crops have been certified in countries on four continents.

Results of the benchmarking are available online at www.fsatool.com, where users can access scoring for benchmarked standards under “Benchmark Results and Planning.”

About SCS Global Services (www.scsglobalservices.com/sustainably-grown-certification)
SCS has been a global leader in third-party quality, environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development for more than three decades. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in energy, manufacturing, green building, food and agriculture, forestry, and more. SCS is a chartered benefit corporation, reflecting its commitment to socially and environmentally responsible business practices, a 2016 recipient of the Acterra Business Environmental Award for Sustainability, and 2017 Business Intelligence Group Sustainability Award.

For more information, contact Lesley Sykes at [email protected], or call 1-510-452-6823.

About the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA)
First piloted in 2014, the Farm Sustainability Assessment programme offers a simple, highly effective tool to assess, improve and communicate on-farm sustainability. Today the FSA is used in 32 countries and available in 19 languages. Its design and purpose facilitate the understanding of industry-shared better management practices that improve farm performance and sustainability outcomes. Its bronze, silver and gold performance levels are designed to be used at scale in the food supply chain and to mainstream sustainable agricultural practices.

For more information http://fsatool.com/

About Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform)
Founded in 2002, The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform) provides a pre-competitive environment for the food and drinks industry to address global sustainability challenges facing farms today, and in the years ahead. With a network of over 90 members and partners spanning across 35 countries around the world, we are developing the practice of sustainable agricultural tools and principles that create secure and strong agricultural supply chains, to protect the earth’s resources. Our focus on beef, dairy, arable and vegetable, and fruit and nut as well as our pioneering Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) tool lead the field to effective sustainable practices while delivering value to our members, farmers, their communities and consumers.

For more information www.saiplatform.org