A Webinar Recap of the Take Action Panel From 2021’s Sustainable Produce Summit
Whether you are motivated by new requests from a big customer or values exploration, diving into new sustainability initiatives for your fresh produce company can be daunting.
These tips from industry experts shared during the Take Action Panel from 2021’s Sustainable Produce Summit can help you get moving on your sustainability journey.
Define Your Sustainability Goals
Goals will demonstrate your commitment to sustainability, act as drivers for action in a fast-paced business and give you markers to measure your progress and tell your story.
Use these questions to help you identify what your company’s sustainability goals should be:
- Where is your business pressure coming from?
- What is your risk exposure?
- What is happening in the supply chain in regard to stakeholders, regulations and other reporting needs?
- What is the desired impact of this change?
- In what ways does your company want to be ambitious? In what ways is compliance the most important factor?
Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals.
Find Your Momentum
Use existing momentum to take first steps.
If your company is already advancing on a particular sustainable action, use it as a great initial focus for solidifying your sustainability plan because there is already progress to record and report.
Do you have an internal champion for a specific initiative? Use that passion as a resource to get the ball rolling.
Put Third-Party Certifications to Work for You
You won’t be able to tell your story unless you are measuring it. Third-party certifications provide credibility and transparency to your processes and systems and can give your business a boost of confidence that your stated goals are becoming realities.
Sustainability programs are an investment, and when you find the right program, it will add value to your organization.
“Choose a certification that best fits the culture and goals of your company and satisfies the requests and needs of the buyer, but also provides value back to your organization.”
– Nikki Cossio, Founder and CEO of Measure to Improve LLC
Third-party labels on your product can build trust with consumers and demonstrate that your sustainability claims are backed by processes and policies that are vetted.
Find out more about how investing in Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) certification can distinguish your brand and add value to your organization.
Wondering if EFI Certification is right for your organization? Take our quiz and find out.
