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Another Fruitful Cooperation with the Rainforest Alliance
Switzerland: Chiquita sets benchmark for a sustainable pineapple industry
Chiquita, one of the leading international marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and value-added food products, announced recently its decision to ensure that all its pineapple supplies are Rainforest Alliance Certified™ in order to ensure decent social and environmental production conditions. By end 2009, 90% of Chiquita’s pineapple supplies will be Rainforest Alliance Certified; the target is 100% Rainforest Alliance certification of pineapple suppliers.
The rapid expansion of pineapple production in Panama and Costa Rica has led to some serious social and environmental problems. The main concerns are illegal pesticide use, water contamination, soil erosion and poor labour practices.
Chiquita’s decision is driven by its 15 years of experience of working with the Rainforest Alliance in sustainable banana production. It is also motivated by Chiquita’s determination to exclude such social and environmental problems from its supply network.
The Rainforest Alliance certification programme is currently the only sustainable agriculture scheme for pineapple production that includes regular audits by independent experts. The programme is based on the comprehensive standards developed by the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), a coalition of leading NGOs in tropical countries. The SAN standard includes the three integrated spheres of sustainability – economic viability, social responsibility and environmental protection.
It addresses the key requirements of sustainable agriculture as follows:
- Conservation of natural ecosystems (forests, wet-lands, rivers and streams), the prohibition of all deforestation and hunting, and the reforestation of any land not used for production.
- Soil conservation by avoidance of steep land, by providing vegetation cover in drains, and by leaving natural buffer zones along rivers and streams.
- Filtration systems to avoid any organic or chemical contamination of streams and groundwater by waste-water used in the packing process.
- Controlled pesticide use to prohibit use of the “Dirty Dozen” of illegal pesticides (such as paraquat), to ensure the health and safety of employees and local communities, to avoid contamination of soils, ground water and streams, and to minimise pesticide usage and toxicity.
- Decent pay, compliance with fundamental human and labour rights and national laws and regulations, safe and healthy working conditions, adequate housing, access to medical care, education and recreation are important social elements of Rainforest Alliance certification.
Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance, commented on the collaboration: “All of Chiquita’s banana farms and nearly all the farms that supply the company’s bananas have achieved Rainforest Alliance certification. Now, Chiquita is turning that same level of dedication and investment to pineapple production, which will benefit many communities, workers and wildlife.”
George Jaksch, Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility at Chiquita comments, “This is an important step, reflecting our continued commitment to high social and environmental standards in our own farms and those of our suppliers.”
Currently, Chiquita is already in a position to supply pineapples from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms to select customers.
Contact:
www.chiquita.com
Switzerland: Chiquita sets benchmark for a sustainable pineapple industry
Chiquita, one of the leading international marketers and distributors of high-quality fresh and value-added food products, announced recently its decision to ensure that all its pineapple supplies are Rainforest Alliance Certified™ in order to ensure decent social and environmental production conditions. By end 2009, 90% of Chiquita’s pineapple supplies will be Rainforest Alliance Certified; the target is 100% Rainforest Alliance certification of pineapple suppliers.The rapid expansion of pineapple production in Panama and Costa Rica has led to some serious social and environmental problems. The main concerns are illegal pesticide use, water contamination, soil erosion and poor labour practices.
Chiquita’s decision is driven by its 15 years of experience of working with the Rainforest Alliance in sustainable banana production. It is also motivated by Chiquita’s determination to exclude such social and environmental problems from its supply network.
The Rainforest Alliance certification programme is currently the only sustainable agriculture scheme for pineapple production that includes regular audits by independent experts. The programme is based on the comprehensive standards developed by the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN), a coalition of leading NGOs in tropical countries. The SAN standard includes the three integrated spheres of sustainability – economic viability, social responsibility and environmental protection.
It addresses the key requirements of sustainable agriculture as follows:
- Conservation of natural ecosystems (forests, wet-lands, rivers and streams), the prohibition of all deforestation and hunting, and the reforestation of any land not used for production.
- Soil conservation by avoidance of steep land, by providing vegetation cover in drains, and by leaving natural buffer zones along rivers and streams.
- Filtration systems to avoid any organic or chemical contamination of streams and groundwater by waste-water used in the packing process.
- Controlled pesticide use to prohibit use of the “Dirty Dozen” of illegal pesticides (such as paraquat), to ensure the health and safety of employees and local communities, to avoid contamination of soils, ground water and streams, and to minimise pesticide usage and toxicity.
- Decent pay, compliance with fundamental human and labour rights and national laws and regulations, safe and healthy working conditions, adequate housing, access to medical care, education and recreation are important social elements of Rainforest Alliance certification.
Tensie Whelan, president of the Rainforest Alliance, commented on the collaboration: “All of Chiquita’s banana farms and nearly all the farms that supply the company’s bananas have achieved Rainforest Alliance certification. Now, Chiquita is turning that same level of dedication and investment to pineapple production, which will benefit many communities, workers and wildlife.”
George Jaksch, Senior Director of Corporate Responsibility at Chiquita comments, “This is an important step, reflecting our continued commitment to high social and environmental standards in our own farms and those of our suppliers.”
Currently, Chiquita is already in a position to supply pineapples from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms to select customers.
Contact:
www.chiquita.com
Publication date: 6/29/2009
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