This summer marks a significant milestone for both GoodFarms and Equitable Food Initiative. It’s been ten years since GoodFarms became the first-ever operation to earn the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) certification, transforming the traditional approach to social responsibility. Since achieving this certification in 2014, GoodFarms has continued to lead by example, certifying every one of their operations from California’s central coast to Baja California Sur.
At the heart of this journey is Amalia Zimmerman-Lommel, Director of Social Responsibility for GoodFarms. Amalia has been involved in every step of the EFI certification journey. In our latest podcast episode, Amalia discusses how EFI standards far exceed local and federal legal requirements, transforming the traditional approach to social responsibility. Before EFI, she believed that social responsibility was about fair wages and respectful treatment. However, she soon realized that true change comes from active worker engagement. Tune up the podcast to hear more about some of the challenges and transformations for GoodFarms in this process of continuous improvement.
At GoodFarms, workers are encouraged to speak up when they see something that’s not in compliance. This proactive approach has not only improved the quality of life for the workers but has also enhanced the farm’s company’s productivity, consistency, and product quality.
In addition to the EFI certification, Amalia says that a valuable first step before the certification is to start with the Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP). ECIP offers a valuable opportunity to go through a self-assessment of your management practices and gives resources and tools to learn and grow. She advised to take this process assessment seriously and answer with truthfulness since the program provides an opportunity to showcase social responsibility efforts and areas where growers are actively learning and improving.
To hear more advice from Amalia on charting a social responsibility journey and how GoodFarms is leading the charge in ethical farming, tune in to our podcast.
