The financial benefits of lower costs and increased net-profit that flow back into your organization through the improved culture, systems and processes that come with social certification need to be a part of the cost-benefit analysis for every grower.
Actual upfront costs of social certification will vary according to the size of your organization and scope of the first projects you take on to achieve compliance. Costs include paying for workforce development training, the time and resources to make the initial improvements and of course, the audit.
However, this initial and often substantial financial output is not the bill for a one-time event or service — rather it’s an investment in your workforce and your organizational culture.
Data supports the link between soft skills training and increased return on investment in blue collar work. A more engaged workforce contributes to efficiency, productivity and a high-quality end product. Improved organizational culture provides transparency, improved communication between the workforce and management, processes that facilitate continuous improvements and improved employee retention.
Certification also offers assurance of an ethical supply chain to retail customers and the end consumer and can unlock competitive market advantage for your business.
Consolidating IPM and responsible labor audits through EFI certification presents another opportunity for cost savings and some relief from audit fatigue.
EFI offers several pathways to certification that can be customized to meet the needs of your organization. To find out more, contact business@equitablefood.org.
EFI Grower Perspectives
Amalia Zimmerman-Lommel, Director of Human Resources for Andrew & Williamson Fresh Produce/GoodFarms puts it this way, “It’s a win-win for everyone when you look at social compliance as an investment in your workforce and from a business perspective. What you gain from changing your organization’s culture and having an engaged workforce, retaining people, being an employer of choice and providing customers with assurance that you’re taking care of your workforce and the environment, is just so much more valuable than the cost of that audit.”
Vernon Peterson, CEO of Abundant Harvest Organics for Homegrown Organic Farms, asserts that “EFI is the only certification that brings value to our farm. The other certifications are valuable in the marketplace and necessary in order to participate in the wholesale market, but that doesn’t help us on the farm. The training and implementation of teamwork that comes with EFI genuinely does help us do our job better and get a better product to the consumer.”
Vic Smith, CEO of JV Smith Companies says, “We have an acute labor shortage and a marketplace that is becoming more sophisticated and demanding transparency. The EFI program is not only the right thing to do, it is a smart business strategy since it helps you engage your workforce and drive productivity.”
Written by: Amy Beth Dingle, Freelance Writer for EFI
