Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers, and consumer groups, has launched its supplier program within the Learn, Assess, and Benchmark (LAB) platform of the Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP). It will be available to suppliers beginning this week.
Until now, the learn, assess, and benchmark channels have been available exclusively to growers. Now, suppliers will gain access to Supplier LAB, which includes resources to support their grower partners to align with the Ethical Charter. Suppliers will be guided through assessment questions and will be able to benchmark and prioritize areas for improvement. Supplier LAB will also enable suppliers to demonstrate their alignment with the Ethical Charter to retail and foodservice customers.
"Currently, there is no standardized platform for produce buyers to assess the extent or impact of social responsibility efforts within their supply chain," says Diona Monroe, data manager for EFI. "This new component of ECIP gives suppliers the ability to demonstrate their leadership and receive recognition for their work to promote responsible labor practices. Retailers also get a comprehensive view of labor management systems in their supply chains, moving beyond traditional audits to build capacity and assess labor practices."
Left to right: Diona Monroe, Jim Hancock
Buyers will benefit from aggregated data and industry-wide reports that can help them identify trends and develop targeted resources to support their suppliers. In addition, retailers will begin to see supplier engagement scores calculated through the use of the new Supplier LAB in early November.
"We are excited about the impact this next phase of ECIP is expected to deliver," said Jim Hancock, vice president of produce & floral at Sam's Club. "As suppliers begin to self-assess their management systems, it will allow us to better support them and their growers with additional tools and resources, and to recognize the suppliers who are most engaged in developing responsible labor practices."
To introduce the new program, EFI will host a webinar on Wednesday, September 11, at 11:00 a.m. PDT. The webinar will include a demonstration of each of the learn, assess, and benchmark channels, guest speakers, and a live Q&A. A link to register can be found at https://equitablefood.org/webinars.
Piloted in 2021, and fully launched in 2023, ECIP LAB is an online platform that provides tools and resources to suppliers and growers to strengthen labor management systems and align with the industry's Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor. ECIP is designed to connect buyers, suppliers, and growers in a uniform commitment to improving labor management systems and highlighting best practices across the fresh produce supply chain.
For more information:
LeAnne R. Ruzzamenti
Equitable Food Initiative
Tel.: +1 (202) 524-0540
[email protected]
https://equitablefood.org/
https://ethicalcharterprogram.org/