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Introduction
The Sustainable Spices Initiative (SSI) brings together leading international companies and NGOs aiming
to sustainably transform the mainstream spices sector, thereby securing future sourcing and boosting
economic growth in producing countries. To achieve this, SSI supports sustainability interventions in the
value chains in combination with stimulating a growing market uptake of sustainable spices. SSI has
been working towards defining the critical sustainability issues in the spices sector. This manual is meant
to explain the work that has been done up to now and to propose several next steps.
Sustainability issues identified in spices:
There is a growing awareness of critical issues in the spices sector and the need to address them. Most
talked about issues relate to unsafe pesticide use, poor working conditions and degradation of
biodiversity and they are present in open field systems, but also in vine and tree crops. For SSI as a
sustainability initiative it has been important to identify the issues in more detail and see in how far
these issues can be covered by sustainability standards or company codes. For more detail see Annex 1
“Overview Spices product issues”, based on research done by NewForesight.
Selecting sustainability standard(s):
In early stages of SSI it was decided not to create a new standard, but to choose one B2C ‘gold standard’
to address the identified critical issues. Rainforest Alliance was chosen, but time showed that this did
not fulfil all business needs. It became necessary to select more standards (B2C and B2B) to facilitate all
participants in SSI to work on mainstream sustainability. These selected standards and company codes,
however, needed to be credible, address the critical issues as identified through research in spices and,
of course, applicable to different types of production settings. They were therefore screened on:
Content: does a standard or code cover the main issues we worry about?
Credibility: is their governance structure and audit mechanism credible and recognized by our market
and civil society/consumers?
Effectivity: What are the costs of the standard and its availability, meaning volume certified produce or
auditors to inspect suppliers?
The analysis lead to selecting a ‘basket of standards’, including a number of standards that were already
being used by the sector. These standards are: EU Organic Farming, Rainforest Alliance, Fair trade
International (hired labor and small farmers), Global Gap, USDA National Organic Program and Unilever
Sustainable Agriculture Code. The identified standards cover the critical issues although in some cases a
combination of standards might be needed to cover all. For more detail see Annex 2 “Spices product
issues / standard requirements” (Fair & Sustainable Advisory Services, 2014).
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Addressing sustainability issues in your own value chain(s):
SSI has built a partnership with the International Trade Center (ITC) to offer a customized tool to
program participants. The SSI Equivalency Tool provides information on the selected standards and
codes of conduct addressing sustainability issues (hotspots) in the spices supply chain.
http://www.standardsmap.or/ssi
The tool allows you to compare sustainability standards and codes in general, but detailed comparisons
can also be made, e.g. focusing on crop or country specifics, or on key sustainability issues. For example:
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The advantage of the customized tool is that it supports your internal decision making around the use of
standards as a way to reach your companies’ sustainability ambition. In case of a company code the tool
gives you a neutral and transparent comparison indicating areas for improvement. This approach
strengthens the credibility of your code. The tool is custom-made for SSI and will be kept up to date by
ITC. If needed, more standards can be included at a later stage.
Next steps in SSI:
Currently the SSI program is familiar with the critical issues that play a role in the sector and selected a
number of standards and codes to address these issues. The tool developed by ITC offers participants in
the SSI program transparency and comparability on the ‘what, how and who’ of standards. It enables a
fact-based discussion on content of standards; the audit methodologies, availability etc. It is not meant
as a judgment on good or bad standards. Also, it allows you to assess your own performance against a
specific standard through the self-assessment module.
In order to strengthen this process further, a next step is to use benchmarking as a tool to measure the selected standards and code against an internationally renowned neutral reference point on content, credibility and effectivity. Benchmarking leads to a shared understanding of what is meant by “sustainability” in the spices sector and gives SSI the possibility to define a minimum compliance level. Among the available references SSI is exploring the option to use GlobalGap (environmental) and ILO (social). For social, working towards Global Social Compliance Program (GSCP social & environmental) at a later stage would be an option. GlobalGAP and GSCP references are internationally renowned as they receive strong support and acceptance by retail and food industry. The benchmarking element is already inserted in the ITC equivalency tool as an option.
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How to use the ITC portal for SSI?
As mentioned in the introduction, the SSI tool developed within the ITC standards map allows you:
to receive detailed information on the content and scope of standards and codes by using the
quick-scan button
to compare standards and codes by using the compare button, including comparing against
fixed references for social and environmental compliance.
to do a self-assessment by using the self-assessment button.
In this section we explain what the tool can do for you using 4 examples.
EXAMPLE 1 – Producer/farmer group looking for a standard
Suppose you are a Vietnamese producer or farmer group of black pepper and aware of the critical issues
that play a role in your sector. You are considering certification as a way of addressing these issues and
meet your company’s sustainability ambition. You want to know if the standard used by Rainforest
Alliance would fit.
Step 1
In the ITC Standards Map SSI tool you select at the left-hand side navigation menu product (black
pepper), production country (Vietnam) and destination market (Europe) and select Rainforest Alliance
from the list of 7 standards. Then you click on the ‘Quick Scan’ button to let the tool produce an
analysis.
Step 2
When the analysis page appears you click the ‘Requirements’ button to see the key issues covered by
Rainforest Alliance divided over the requirements (environmental, social etc) including time indications
(immediate, within 1 year).
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How to read this?
It is clear that Rainforest Alliance has many requirements on environmental and social issues and a
smaller set of requirements on management, quality and ethics, but what does it mean? You find
descriptions on soil treatment, water management, agrochemical use, but also health and safety issues,
labor conditions and ethical rules like anti-corruption procedures.
For instance, in the environmental section there is a general requirement on waste water management.
It states that a farm must have appropriate treatment systems in place for all wastewaters it generates
at all times. That is what the time indication ‘immediate’ means. A program on reuse and recycling of
water, however, is something a farm must have in place within one year after first certification.
Another example: the requirement on safety equipment and personal protective equipment needs to be
complied with from the beginning, meaning that anyone dealing with agrochemicals always needs to
wear protective clothing. Training on safety issues, however, might be carried out in the first year of
being certified.
Agrochemicals need to be clearly administrated at all times, properly stored etc. If inspectors find a
chemical that is mentioned on the prohibited list, you receive a sanction.
In the social section you find requirements on contracting workers, including overtime rules. Contracts
need to respect national laws and ILO declarations. Another critical issue like child labor is prohibited at
all times, but age indications are given when children can work including types of work and time limits.
The overview allows you to determine if the critical issues you want to address are covered by the
standard, within which time frame etc. It also shows you the scope of the standard (where in the market
it is accepted), the frequency of audits and other practical information to support your decision making.
This work can also be done by a consultant or trader, on behalf of the producer / farmer group and the
outcome discussed with the farmers.
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EXAMPLE 2 – Producer/farmer group comparing own practice with a standard
Let’s stay with the same black pepper producer / farmer group in Vietnam. By now they have decided to
use Rainforest Alliance, but want to know – before requesting an official audit – in how far they already
comply.
Step 1
Return to the main page of the ITC Standards Map SSI tool and click on the self- assessment button.
Step 2
Select the standard you want to be compared with. In this example it is Rainforest Alliance. The tool
presents you with a simple questionnaire. Per topic, for instance agrochemical use or child labor, you
respond to the question with a yes/no or not yet. At the end of the questionnaire the tool generates a
report and a virtual representation.
How to read this?
The report deals with the main areas like soil, biodiversity, chemicals in the environmental section and
working conditions, health & safety, anti-discrimination rules etc in the social section. The report shows
in writing and in visuals in how far you already comply with the standards (the ‘met’ column), but more
importantly also areas of relative easy improvement (the ‘nearly’ column) and those that need more
work probably (the ‘missed’ column). For instance you have a clear policy and monitored practice on
dealing with waste water and even started with reusing water which will appear in the ‘met’ column.
However you have no specific requirements for handling/disposal of waste by third parties which will
appear in the ‘nearly’ part of the overview. A missed element could be that you have no anti-
discrimination policy or no training on health & safety issues. Nearly could be that your workers do have
protective clothing, but do not always use it and your supervisors do not control nor correct it.
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The report gives you an indication how big or small the gap is between your daily practice and standard
compliance. You can share the report with the certification body, in this case Rainforest Alliance, and ask
advice regarding improvement trajectories and in how far you are ready to pass the first audit.
Also in this particular case the work can be done by a consultant on behalf of the farmers and the
outcome shared with them.
Example 3 – Trader/importer comparing two standards
Suppose you are a buyer of black pepper in need of additional supply. As a buyer you prefer to work
with Rainforest Alliance certified produce as certification helps you reach your sustainability objectives.
A potential new supplier presents itself. The sample they have sent is of good quality and the available
volumes also look good. The supplier indicated they are FLO certified and are exporting already to
Europe. Before you start contract discussions you want to understand what this fairtrade standard
covers and how comparable it is with Rainforest Alliance instead of simply demanding additional
certification.
Step 1
In the ITC Standards Map SSI tool you select at the left-hand side navigation menu product (black
pepper), production country (Vietnam) and destination market (Europe) and from the list of 7 standards
you select Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade for small producer organizations and click on the ‘Compare’
button to let the tool produce an analysis.
Step 2
The page shows you several visuals from a spider web with the key issues/ hotspots per standard to the
hotspots per sustainability area.
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You quickly see that Rainforest Alliance covers a broader range of requirements than Fairtrade for small
producers, but that there is also much overlap. You can view the comparison per area, for instance
environmental issues.
How to read this?
It tells you in general terms that the two standards are largely comparable and that it is worthwhile to
enter into negotiations with the newly presented supplier. If you want to have greater assurance the
page also shows a data table to review the specifics per requirement. You might start with viewing the
ones that are most important to you for instance on ‘respecting a list of prohibited chemicals’. The table
shows that it is dealt with in both standards, that the timeframe is the same (both standards require
immediate compliance) and if a supplier needs to keep records on this (also a yes in both standards).
You can do the same for social issues and start with the issues that are most relevant to you. It supports
your decision to accept the Fairtrade certification or not and enter into negotiations. The report can also
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be shared with the new party and open up the discussion on the differences and how to deal with them
– if you want to reach full comparability in the future or in case that is needed to reach your own
sustainability objectives.
Example 4 – Retailer/food industry comparing standards
Suppose you are a major retailer or food brand wanting to source only sustainable spices. As a member
of the Consumer Goods Forum you have a clear idea which critical issues play a role in your sector and
that you want to use certification as a way to address the issues. You also want to work with
international reference points like GlobalGap for environmental and GSCP for social issues. Before
starting the discussion with your suppliers on certification you want to understand which standards
could be used/are acceptable to you.
Step 1
In the ITC Standards Map SSI tool you select at the left-hand side navigation menu product (for instance
the generic indication herbs and spices), production country (for instance the generic indication any
country or region) and destination market (for instance Europe) and select all standards from the list
(there are 7 in total) or a selected number of standards. Then you click on the ‘Quick Scan’ button to let
the tool produce an overview.
Step 2
When the overview page appears you click the ‘Requirements’ button to see the key issues covered by
the standards selected by you, one standard per column, divided over the requirements (environmental,
social etc) including time indications (immediate, within 1 year). For instance:
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The ITC tool also allows you for inserting fixed reference standards for environmental and social
sustainability. To view these options, simply click ‘environmental’ (or ‘social’) and as a default setting,
you see the selected standards benchmarked against GlobalGAP (environmental) or GSCP (social). In the
graph on the left side, you can also choose a different reference point (for example ILO for social)
against which you want to benchmark the standards.
Step 3
The page shows you several visuals from a spider web with the key issues/ hotspots per standard to the
hotspots per sustainability area.
The overview gives you information on content and scope of the standard, but you might also want to
compare them. You can do so by simply clicking the compare button and the analysis appears on your
screen.
How to read this?
As in example 3 it tells you in general terms that the selected standards are largely comparable with two
of them covering a broader range of issues than the others. If you want to have greater assurance the
page also shows a data table to review the specifics per requirement. You might start with viewing the
ones that are most important to you for instance on ‘respecting a list of prohibited chemicals’. The table
shows that it is dealt with in all standards, that the timeframe is the same (standards require immediate
compliance) and if a supplier needs to keep records on this (also a yes in all cases).
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You can do the same for social issues and start with the issues that are most relevant to you. It supports
your decision to accept one or more standards in your assortment. The report can also be shared with
your suppliers and open up the discussion on working towards certification to reach your own
sustainability objectives.
Utrecht, November 2014
Spices category
Child Labor
Discrimina-
tion (inc.
gender)
Excessive
Working
Hours
and/or
Unpaid
Overtime Forced Labor
Minimum
wage
Lack of
Freedom of
Association
and/or Right
to Collective
Bargaining
Poor
Working
Conditions
Land Titles
and use of
land
Health &
Safety
Limited
access to
education
and health
care
open farming X X X X X X
vine crops X X X X X X
tree crops X X X X X X X
Standard / Code Content
Unilever ILO 29+105 ILO 87 +98
Rainforest Alliance <15 years ILO 29+105 ILO 87 +98
FLO <18 years ILO 29+105 ILO 87 +98
IFOAM/Organic <18 years ILO 29+105 ILO 87 +98
Global Gap <15 years self decl. self decl. self decl.
GSCP - benchmark/equivalence tool <15 years ILO 105 ILO 87 +98
Assesment
immediate requirements
short-term requirements in 1 year
medium-term requirements in 3 years
no specific requirement
recommendation
Spices category
Degradation
of Natural
Ecosystems
/ soil
degradation
Excessive
Waste
Harmful
Agricultural
Practices
incl use
illegal
substances Deforestation
Water
Mismanage-
ment and/or
Contamina-
tion
Use of GMO
prohibited Biodiversity
open farming X X X
vine crops X X X
tree crops X X X X
Standard / Code Content
Unilever
Rainforest Alliance
FLO
IFOAM/Organic
Global Gap
GSCP - benchmark/equivalence tool
Assesment
immediate requirements
short-term requirements in 1 year
medium-term requirements in 3 years
no specific requirement
recommendation
Spices category
Corruption
Insufficient
Market-
related
Infrastruc-
ture
Lack of
Access to
Financial
Services Low Productivity
Market
Distorting
Subsidies
and/or (non)-
Trade
Barriers Price Volatility
Quality
and/or food
safety issues
open farming
vine crops
tree crops
Standard / Code content
Unilever
Rainforest Alliance
FLO pricing system
IFOAM/organic
Global Gap
GSCP - benchmark/equivalence tool
Assesment
immediate requirements
short-term requirements in 1 year
medium-term requirements in 3 years
no specific requirement
recommendation
Note 1: assessment relates to supply chain origin not standards developed for traders
Note 2: most issues indicated in economic issue box are more context / policy related topics and not dealt with as standard requirements/certification requirements
Note 3: GSCP is a benchmark; data in this assessment come from the tools developed by GSCP for their equivalence process.
Prepared by: Fair & Sustainable Advisory Services, Utrecht 2014
Note: assessment is based on public information from certifiers, interviews with standard owners, traders and producers and the standard map of the ITC. Information is translated by Fair
& Sustainable Advisory Services into a format suitable for IDH discussions with potential program participants.
Annex 2: Product Standard Issue Assessment Spices
Social Issues
Environmental Issues
Economic Issues