Nature’s Pride reaps the rewards of social certification

Nature’s Pride started to certify its producers on social compliance criteria at the end of 2011. Criteria such as labour contracts and conditions, health & safety and environmental practices are verified during a third party audit by the certification body Institute for Marketecology (IMO). If the producing company complies with the long list of requirements, they receive a “Fair for Life” or “For Life” certificate.

Distribution of school supplies

Nature’s Pride supports its mango growers with a Fair for Life audit, which, along with verifying all the social criteria, includes a mutually agreed minimum price and additionally a Fair Trade Premium payment. The latter is invested in social projects in the country of origin. For example, the mango supplier DOT Fruits in the Dominican Republic spent the Fair for Life Fund on medical insurance for their workers, enabling them access to better health care facilities. Secondly, they bought school supplies – backpack, books, notebooks, pens and pencils – and shoes for 200 children of their workers.

A filled backpack for school and new shoes

Other products are being "For Life" – Social Responsibility certified, such as asparagus, avocados, snow peas & sugar snaps, beans amongst others, are being added to the wide product range of Nature’s Pride from countries that are considered ‘risk countries’ based on the Human Development Index of the United Nations. One of the challenges is being able to offer a product year round as socially certified. Snow peas & sugar snaps are certified year round, whereas avocados are year round certified when we combine production from both high and low risk countries. Nature’s Pride is not certifying low risk countries such as the USA, EU countries, and Chile. Low risk countries are considered the ones that have their labour and social laws in place and are considered to be more than efficient in guaranteeing good social practices for their workers.

All parties involved, from grower to retailer, perceive this initiative as very positive. Our growers are willing to take this step with us; proud to demonstrate their social endeavours and eager to take on further improvement plans for their farms and packing stations, benefitting their workers, the community and their overall company’s performance. The demand for socially certified products from retailers and wholesalers is growing steadily as well. We look forward to continuing our course and broadening our product range of socially

For more information:
Jan Willem Verloop
Nature's Pride
Tel: +31 174 612794
Fax: +31 174 525909
Email: JanWillem@naturespride.nl
www.naturespride.nl