The Fireside Chat Series gives members of the fresh produce industry who are curious about Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) an opportunity to hear directly from EFI staff through casual conversations that explore important aspects of the EFI Program.
This episode’s chat features a conversation between EFI’s Marketing and Sales Manager, Madelyn Edlin, and EFI’s Business and New Product Development Director, Kevin Boyle, that touches on the questions growers considering certification are likely to have. Watch the full conversation here or read along for a recap.
“In many cases, what’s recognized by EFI certification in the marketplace are things that many of these growers are doing anyway, but they’re finally now getting recognition for it and there’s some return on that investment to themselves and to the workforce.”
– Kevin Boyle, Business and New Product Development Director for EFI
What types of operations should consider an EFI Farming certification?
(Find the response to question 1 starting at minute 1:20)
EFI focuses on the fresh produce industry and farming operations, open field, orchards or greenhouses are all candidates.
A common theme among certified growers is the perspective that challenges present in the market can be opportunities to improve business performance.
The EFI Program delivers for organizations with an interest in utilizing the full potential of their workforces by improving company culture and building skills among supervisors and workers, which in turn improves productivity, efficiency, innovation and product quality.
How does EFI fit the descriptions, “more than a certification” and a “one-stop-shop for audits?”
(Find the response to question 2 starting at minute 4:50)
EFI certification meets retail requirements for social responsibility, GFSI-recognized food safety and IPM/pollinator health in one audit. A one-stop-shop audit has been the intention from the EFI’s earliest days.
EFI was founded by a multi-stakeholder group representing the entire industry with the intention of getting the good work fresh produce growers are doing in social responsibility, food safety and integrated pest management/pollinator health recognized in the marketplace and to do it in a way that reduces the audit burden on growers.
By engaging the entire workforce and creating systems for ongoing collaboration, workers, supervisors and management are working together continually to ensure practices and protocols are aligned with the EFI Standards and these systems also facilitate business improvements to the operation at the same time. In a way, you are auditing your own work every single day through these systems.
What can a farming operation expect as it works toward EFI certification?
(Find the response to question 3 starting at minute 10:20)
Any grower can set up a free, exploratory conversation with EFI staff where EFI can begin to understand the specific challenges that grower faces and make sure the EFI approach aligns with the culture the grower seeks to create for their operation.
Next, EFI creates a grower map, gathering information about the operation and identifying the uniqueness of each farming operation and how EFI’s offerings can be customized to be the best fit for each individual operation.
That information is used to plan the workforce development training process provided by EFI and to help auditors scope the audit so it aligns with the grower.
An EFI Leadership Team is created from a cross section of supervisors and employees identified by the operation and this team is trained through a popular education approach in communication skills, conflict resolution and a 6 step systematic problem-solving model.
There are multiple certifying bodies independent of EFI that can execute the audit. Once any non-compliances are satisfied, the grower is awarded a 3-year certification and can begin to use the EFI logo with participating retailers that will pay a premium back to the farm and farmworkers for keeping compliance with the EFI standards.
After 3 years, there will be another full audit to maintain the certification.
I’m interested! What are the next steps?
Let’s have a conversation. Reach out to Madelyn Edlin or Kevin Boyle or send an email to info@equitablefood.org.
Links to other conversations in the Fireside Chat Series
Fireside Chat 2: What are Worker-Led Improvements, Who Benefits From them and Do They Work?
Fireside Chat 3: What is Continuous Improvement and How Can I Achieve It?
Fireside Chat 4: What Does Corporate Responsibility Really Mean?
Summary written by: Amy Beth Dingle, Freelance Writer for EFI
