sustainable sourcing

Using concepts of multifunctionality and agrarian change, this paper examines the implications of introducing an international environmental certification programme to a site where the ‘peasantry’ has been preserved and has limited integration in the global agro-food system. Drawing on a case study that examines the first certified organic shrimp production project in Vietnam, this paper concludes that the current movement towards post-productivism in the global North has potential to keep local farming practices in the global South by justifying the value of peasant-like production methods through international certification. »

This article investigates which drivers influence farmer’s decision-making on adopting organic or conventional coffee management practices. The authors use the case of Santader, Colombia, one of the world’s most important producers of Arabica coffee, where both conventional and organic schemes of management are used. The results suggests that social identity of coffee growers, the influence of coffee institutions, attitudes about management practices, and social relations of production, all play an important role in the process of decision making. »

This article in the Journal of Operations Management, synthesizes a model that proposes how firms might address accountability for sustainability issues in their supply chain. At its core, the construct of sustainable evaluation and verification (SEV) captures three interrelated dimensions: inclusivity, scope, and disclosure. These dimensions characterize how supply chain processes might identify key measures, collect and process data, and finally, verify materiality, reliability and accuracy of any data and resulting information. »

For this research article at PlOS One, a comprehensive list of sustainable sourcing issues was collated in order to better structure the complex relationships and assess any gaps. The issues were pulled from the following three perspectives: major global sustainability assessments, sustainability communications from global food companies, and conceptual frameworks of sustainable livelihoods from academic publications. These terms were then integrated »

This document by SAI Platform provides a set of Principles and suggested Practices for Sustainable Dairy Farming for the mainstream market in all regions of the world. It is designed to be dynamic and revised regularly on the basis of new practical experience and knowledge generation. It is meant to be ‘delivered’ and used with specific guidelines and practical tools relevant to local innovations and prevailing conditions. »

This SAI Platform practitioner’s guide is a reference manual for companies seeking to source their agricultural raw materials sustainably. It is intended for any food and beverage company buying its agricultural raw materials from farmers and farmer organisations directly, or indirectly through supplier companies. »