The new guideline highlights GLOBALG.A.P.’s alignment with leading industry metrics such as those from the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC). By referencing tools like the SISC calculator, producers can efficiently establish baseline sustainability metrics and track improvements in key areas including water, energy, GHG emissions, habitat and biodiversity, nutrient use, soil health, and food waste.
“In line with evolving market requirements and our holistic approach to farm-level operations, our newest version, IFA v6, includes enhanced criteria for environmental responsibility. This guideline provides US producers support and clarification on how to approach these criteria,” said Roberta Anderson, President of GLOBALG.A.P. North America. “Tools like SISC help producers connect what they are already doing to what is needed for GLOBALG.A.P. certification and broader sustainability goals.”
SISC is a multi-stakeholder initiative to develop a system for measuring sustainable performance throughout the specialty crop supply chain. The project offers a suite of outcomes-based metrics enabling operators at any point along the supply chain to benchmark, compare, and communicate their performance. SISC does not seek to set standards, but rather to provide a yardstick for helping growers move towards continual improvement and measuring sustainable outcomes over time.
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“The alignment with SISC metrics within the GLOBALG.A.P. guideline streamlines sustainability reporting, reduces duplicative efforts, and helps producers ‘measure to manage’ for continuous improvement,” added Ed Treacy, VP Supply Chain International Fresh Produce Association and SISC Steering Committee member.
The US national interpretation guideline was developed through extensive collaboration led by the US National Technical Working Group, comprising certified producers, grower groups, buyers, technical experts, and certification body representatives. Guideline’s clarifies key implementation topics, including continuous improvement indicators, biodiversity practices, worker health and safety, and compliance with national programs such as OSHA and NRCS.
