Impact Beyond Measure
The following article is taken from EFI’s 2024 Annual Report, Celebrating a Decade of Responsible Labor Practices and Worker Engagement. Read parts one and two.
It is difficult, if not impossible, to truly measure the impact that EFI has had on the lives of farmworkers, the farming operations that it has certified and the fresh produce industry more generally. “EFI has created a ripple effect of cultural changes for businesses, farms, communities and families,” states Ernie Farley, partner with GoodFarms and EFI board chair from 2018 to 2024. “It’s hard to define where it ends, so it’s impossible to measure the true impact.”
EFI’s goal is to shape how the fresh produce industry views and engages its labor force. When the EFI certification program began, agricultural employers questioned whether training and engaging a seasonal, diverse, transient workforce was possible. It quickly became clear that relying on a highly trained team of workers to build trust and communicate with the full workforce in a relatable way was key to understanding and driving compliance with the EFI certification standards across the organization. In one evaluation study, a supervisor noted, “There is a clear change in language: from ‘because they told us’ to ‘it’s our shared responsibility.’”
The insights, resources and successes of the EFI certification program have inspired other efforts to engage and improve conditions for agricultural workers in new ways. During the past 10 years, EFI has partnered with numerous organizations, agricultural employers, workers and funders on topics including responsible recruitment, trauma-informed auditing, consumer trends, workforce development, sustainability, work process redesign and sexual harassment. Aiming to serve as a thought leader in the industry and inspire change, EFI has turned research, experience and partnerships into actionable industry resources, including articles, reports, webinars, courses, tip sheets and interactive online tools.
Building on the model of collaboration, the staff and board of EFI have acted as catalysts for action on pivotal issues. EFI has partnered with recruiter CIERTO Global and created a certification program for farm labor contractors, with the Regenerative Organic Alliance to include labor standards in its certification, and with technology investors to integrate farmworker insight into their design and implementation plans. Development of the Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP) represents EFI’s most significant contribution so far to produce industry collaboration.
In 2018, following the industry’s release of the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices, EFI quickly initiated dialogue to make it a meaningful tool for the industry. Drawing on a proven ability to unite stakeholders across the supply chain and recognizing the need for accountability, EFI encouraged retailers to identify and focus their procurement on growers and suppliers who are willing to demonstrate their alignment to the Ethical Charter’s principles, and to avoid those who are not. EFI also recognized an opportunity to help agricultural employers strengthen the labor management systems they need in place to adhere to the Ethical Charter.
As EFI enters its second decade, it aims to increase impact by supporting the entire produce industry to implement the Ethical Charter, standardizing the documentation and credentialing of farmworker skills through formal credentials and helping to ensure that worker voice is at the center of technology development and adoption. EFI has become a key driver of responsible labor practices in agriculture, fostering collaboration and developing impactful programs that integrate worker knowledge. Its dynamic approach and commitment to continuous improvement will guide the organization as it continues to drive meaningful change across the industry. As Nicholson states, “With the goal of transforming agriculture, we don’t always know what the work will look like until we actually get out there and start doing it. Then we realize what is needed, and we continue to build.”