Food industry experts are predicting a boom in ethical sourcing as consumers become increasingly interested in making purchases that support corporate responsibility and social sustainability methods. In fact, the latest sustainability study from The Hartman Group highlights that, in the past five years, labor and social issues have been seen with greater importance during the purchase of food products. The report identifies three responsible practices that have risen in public interest when grocery shopping:
Create safer working conditions- Provide better wages to agricultural workers
- Invest in the welfare of the community
We had the opportunity to interview Christy Getz, researcher and analyst with the University of California, Berkeley, on social sustainability trends and where Equitable Food Initiative fits in the new demands of the marketplace. In 2016, Getz co-authored “Making the Business Case for Improved Farm Labor Conditions”, a study of five agricultural operations certified by EFI to begin quantifying the impact of the voluntary program on farms and the workforce. The study concluded that growers and farmworkers identified many benefits from the EFI program and that there is improved two-way communication, easier and faster conflict resolution that frees up supervisor time and improvements in worker morale and satisfaction.
Do you think social sustainability will become the new type of sustainability in the marketplace?
Social sustainability is definitely becoming more important in the marketplace. Increasingly, companies are viewing social justice as a key cornerstone of sustainability, complementing economic and environmental sustainability, which have historically received more attention among food system actors.
While social justice in agriculture is often associated with supporting small farmers, labor issues here in the United States are now receiving more attention. Labor shortages and harsh U.S. federal immigration policy are also underscoring the need for ethical treatment of farmworkers and increased social sustainability in agriculture.
Why should farms integrate the EFI model?
Indeed, the EFI model is something farms should at least consider for a couple of key reasons. Firstly, the EFI model is largely about investing in your workforce. A highly trained and satisfied workforce is correlated with increased product quality, increased productivity, increased labor retention and other variables that are good for business. Additionally, EFI certification is increasingly being either favored or required by buyers who are interested in supply-chain integrity. Thus, certification can open up market doors for EFI-certified farms. EFI certification isn’t for all farms, but for farms that are committed to a high-bar approach to labor conditions, it is certainly worth exploring.
EFI’s labor-management model is rarely found in agriculture. What are the main differences that you have seen on farms that have a Leadership Team and those that don’t?
The most notable difference on farms with Leadership Teams is increased, more respectful and more constructive communication, both between management and workers and among workers themselves. This increased and improved communication has benefits such as increased transparency about farm-level decision-making, increased opportunities for collaborative problem solving, and a decreased fear of retaliation for airing problems or concerns through leadership team-related channels.
Both managers and workers have indicated they are more satisfied with their work as a result of the leadership team model. Some managers even said they would continue to have a leadership team on their farm even if it was not a requirement for EFI certification.
You mentioned that EFI is “a dynamic and promising model.” Can you give me some predictions based on this?
When we started to research EFI in 2014, there were only two EFI-certified farms. Now there are 28! The engagement of Costco Wholesale, Whole Foods Market and Bon Appetit Management Company (among others) has created market incentives for farms to become certified and is contributing to the dynamic growth of the EFI model. At the same time, participating farms express high-levels of satisfaction with farm-level improvements as a result of implementing the EFI program with their management and workers. I predict that EFI will both continue to grow and continue to set industry standards for ensuring a safe and just food supply.
Ethical demand on the horizon
Getz’s predictions and the Hartman Sustainability Report reach the same conclusion: labor issues are among the top pillars that will continue to influence food purchases, especially among millennials who are leading the demand for more transparency in the supply chain.
The ethical movement has already begun, and several brands are raising the bar for the entire fresh produce industry. Companies like Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce, NatureSweet Tomatoes, Windset Farms and Houweling’s Tomatoes are currently exhibiting their social responsibility under EFI’s Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured ™ label.
The EFI certification verifies for consumers that their fresh food was produced by farmworkers who were treated fairly, on farming operations that are creating safer places to work. Equitable Food Initiative expects to certify 75 agricultural operations by 2020 and increase its participating retail buyers to support the demand for certified products from modern consumers. Are you doing what is necessary to meet consumer demand for social responsibility?
Written by: Rebecca Castrejon, Digital & Communications Associate for EFI
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