Differentiate Your Company With EFI Certification
Most of Generation Z still live and eat at home. Making up 26% of the population, these 12- to 22-year-olds already have buying power comparable to the gross domestic product of countries like Belgium, Poland, Sweden and Thailand, according to the The Shelby Report.
Members of this diverse, independent and socially conscious generation are expected to demand more from retailers and brands than the millennial market disrupters who came before them. Having grown up with health-conscious parents, Gen Zers come to the table with an expectation that companies display a corporate commitment to social and environmental action in addition to offering pure and healthy products. According to a 2017 Cone study, 89% of Gen Zers would rather buy from a company that supports social and environmental issues over one that does not.
Authenticity and action matter to this generation. Data reported by CNBC show that 67% of those surveyed agree that “being true to their values and beliefs makes a person cool.” Because of their value for authenticity and tendency to view preferred brands as extensions of themselves, Gen Zers aren’t satisfied with empty words. The smartest way to engage these young adults, Forbes says, is speaking out on a relevant public issue.
Stepping out as a leader in embracing the values that Gen Z is demanding will differentiate your company. Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) certification and workforce development programs are the highest standard in the fresh produce industry for social responsibility, guaranteeing transparency in the supply chain and improving lives of farmworkers with active, ongoing improvements to labor practices, food safety and pest management.
EFI certification defines the leaders in fresh produce and provides assurance of a commitment to continuous improvement and social responsibility. Preston Witt, EFI board secretary and Director, Supplier Code of Conduct Compliance at Costco Wholesale, speaks about EFI certification as a way to promote social equity. “EFI has the unique opportunity to help advance human rights through increased worker engagement and awareness. It can give them confidence to communicate with management without fear of punishment or retaliation and open the door to drive improvements. We have seen this process add value to both the grower and worker, as well as provide us with stronger assurance that our own standards and expectations are being met.”
Becoming EFI certified is an investment that yields consumer trust for your brand — especially among up-and-coming Gen Zers, who expect a higher level of corporate responsibility and will soon be bringing their own grocery dollars to the market.
For more information on how EFI certification can differentiate your brand in a changing market, contact Director of Business and New Product Development, Kevin Boyle.
