gebana AG MANUAL Short Version

Transcription

1 gebana AG MANUAL Short Version

2 2 CONTENT, SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS DOCUMENT The gebana manual is a guidance document intended to define requirements and processes within the gebana group. This short version is an excerpt thereof for public release. The manual is to be revised annually. Changes to the manual need authorization by the board of gebana ag (changes affecting the strategic orientation) or the CEO of gebana ag (smaller changes not affecting the strategic orientation). Versions and changes are to be documented. The manual full version is to be distributed to the affiliates of the gebana group.

3 3 CONTENT, SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES OF THIS DOCUMENT 2 1 VISION AND MISSION 4 2 ORGANIC AND FAIRTRADE STANDARDS General notes on standards Our standards Organic production Other Ecological Aspects in production Processing and Trade Fair Trade and social criteria Assurance of organic and fairtrade standards for products supplied by gebana affiliates for products supplied from external suppliers (sold via direct sales) 7

4 4 1. VISION AND MISSION Small-scale farmer families and local processors create economic, ecological and social values, for which they are not paid for. Our task: We develop sustainable and marketable products with small-scale farmer families and local processors and sell these. Like this we contribute to the payment of the locally created values and their long term preservation. Our way: We make contracts with the producers, consult them in bio-cultivation and help them with certifications. We pay an accurate price and process and sell the products preferably regionally. For the export we organise shipment and import on the other side of the ocean. We invest where the products grow and are processed. By participating financially and personally in the long term, we take big risks. We stay even when it gets difficult, because we believe that a real development needs trust, courage and patience. We are the bridge between farmer and client: we establish relationships as directly as possible between producers and consumers. Therefore, our products are fresh, ecological, fair and still affordable. We want to improve: whether labels or trading structures we try to question the existing structures and develop them further. We are transparent and aware of the inconsistency of our and everyone s actions. 2. ORGANIC AND FAIRTRADE STAN- DARDS 2.1 General notes on standards gebana products/suppliers need to be certified according to different external standards; see Table 1. The certification according to these standards is important for credibility in the market and in order to satisfy client s demands. That said, we agree that external certification can be laborious, bureaucratic and expensive and may exclude producers that are small or disadvantaged. Farmer families and processors need support on their way to certification, and with the receipt of the certificate the work is not done yet. We believe while it is important to aim for defined standards to implement, experience has shown that this can only be achieved through continues work including all involved parties. We therefore believe in a process oriented approach. Besides and beyond to external certification, gebana has its internal standards. The internal standards are an important tool for continuous improvement, decisions and internal audits. Under beyond, we understand our interest in and our commitment to new aspects of a sustainable way of living. It s about biodiversity, water consumption, logistics, packaging, political engagement for the small-scale farmers and the question, where which activities make sense and where they don t.

5 5 Table 1: Overview standards Internal Standard based on: Certification/ memberships Fair Trade Swiss Fairtrade, WFTO -all gebana affiliates are certified FLO.* Bio Animal protection Nature protection Bio Suisse simplified approval smallholder groups livestock husbandry acc. to KAG preferred, otherwise acc. to Bio Suisse (home country) several guidelines (s. Bio & beyond) CO2/eco-balance orientation on Best practice - Quality HACCP (quality), BioSuisse (additives) -with respect to external suppliers, a FLO certification is preferred (but not a must) -gebana ag is a member of Swiss Fairtrade, WFTO and follows its guidelines -all gebana affiliates are certified organic -big majority of suppliers for direct sales is certified organic (>80%)** -certified KAG (or Bio Suisse) (>80%) selective certification (RTRS, Bio- Suisse) selective certification (GMP B2, ISO22000, BioSuisse) * Exceptions are allowed for products/producers where the structures are either too small, the region is too dangerous or because there is no adapted standard. ** Those products which are not certified, are either in transformation to organic production or are not certified for political or organisational reasons. In such cases, we consider the project/ supplier to be worthy to support for other aspects (f.ex. social or political reasons). Of course, these products are not labeled organic. 2.2 Our standards Organic production Organic production is very important to us. We consider it to be a major contribution towards a sustainable development. Organic production includes the non-use of GMO as well as the non-use of chemical synthetic pesticides. All gebana affiliates are certified organic. Also the majority of external suppliers are certified organic, so that more then 80-90% of food products of direct sales are certified organic. A majority of the not-certified products is also cultivated biologically, but is in transformation or not certified for political or organisational reasons. For its internal standard, gebana follows the guidelines for the organic farming of Bio Suisse for small-scale farmer groups in the south (simplified approval). Additionally to the organic cultivation, further aspects are important for sustainability - ranging from the selection of the products over logistics to the packaging. The gebana bio-criteria in production: Whole farm organic production 1 1 Whole farm bio-production is not always adhered to, since the farmer families are partly dependent on intensive cultures for their livelihood, for which a bio-market doesn t exist yet.

6 6 Natural diversity on the organic farm Avoidance of genetic engineering Avoidance of chemical-synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilisers For Animal Production: Particularly species-appropriate livestock farming and feeding (home country: livestock husbandry according to KAG preferred, otherwise according to Bio Suisse) Other Ecological Aspects in production There are ecological considerations that go beyond organic certification but are important to us: Support of the biodiversity through cooperation with small-scale farmers, facilitation of traditional cultivation methods (mixed cropping), GVO-free seeds breeding and consideration of old varieties in the range Prohibition of forest clearances and agriculture in High Conservation Value Areas (HCVA) Regulated watering where water is scarce: drip irrigation or efficient, traditional watering systems, which neither cause erosion nor salinization Avoidance of waste and prevention of the contamination of waters Commitment for ecological solutions such as for example sustainable forest use instead of eucalyptus, energy efficiency in the company, adapted mechanization, handicraft, drying systems without fossil energy etc Processing and Trade Ecological thinking includes the selection of the products, the partners, the packaging and the logistics. Even with the best labels, a product can be unecological, when repeatedly processed and packaged in smallest amounts, then delivered through different distribution partners to a supermarket, and finally picked up by car. The following are our criteria: Efficient packaging (big packaging, avoid aluminium packaging, avoid re-packaging wherever possible) Direct logistics (local processing, direct trade relations, direct shipment) No unnecessary processing steps No air transportation (Exceptions allowed for justified reasons) Avoidance of additives such as flavouring agents and colorants Gentle handling of the foods Apart from those criteria, gebana aims to assess its ecobalance and analyze the lifecycle of some of its products on a periodic basis. Where sustainable possibilities to improve its ecobalance exist, these should be pursued Fair Trade and social criteria gebana ag is a dedicated member of Swiss Fair Trade and the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO). gebana participated in laying down the trade criteria of these organisations and complies with them. The guidelines of Swiss Fairtrade and WFTO are compatible with the FLO certification (Max Havelaar). In order to be able to deliver to major distributors, all gebana affiliates as well as gebana bv are also FLO certified. With respect to external suppliers, a FLO certification is preferred (but not a must). For its internal standard, gebana refers to the fair trade criteria as the have been elaborated by Swiss Fair Trade criteria and also WFTO: Trade Relations: Sustainable, long term relations and direct trade. Whenever possible the products are bought directly from small farmers families in the south and processed on-site. Fair and transparent prices and wages

7 7 Pre-financing Worker s rights: no forced labour, no discrimination, no child labour, freedom of association Correct working hours and safe and hygienic working environments (including access to drinking water, adequate sanitation equipment and medical supplies where necessary) Active support of the producers, empowerment For the trading/selling organisations (gebana bv and gebana ag), the following additional criteria apply: Aim of the organisation and its main activity is fair trade Direct contact to the producers and the most direct possible trade channels Compliance with the laws, no tax optimisation, stakeholder dialogue, good governance, traceable wages of the leading personnel Complete transparency and open communication Active support of producers is very important to gebana, as it is fostering local knowledge and empowerment. gebana s aims and activities in this regard include: Direct and long term investments in local infrastructure and management to support know how and quality as well as to create jobs Focus on the development of special and high quality products so that the producers become independent from fair trade certifications in the long term Benefit of the gebana network for concrete, partly also political problems of the producers, for example: small-scale farmers against pesticides, olive oil campaign, Zapatista Cooperative Chiapas Integration of small-scale producers and active development of new supply chains Engagement for fair trading conditions: no dumping, reduction of the import customs for products from the south, no trade restrictions through the bio-label, for example through import bans 2.3 Assurance of organic and fairtrade standards for products supplied by gebana affiliates External standards: Organic: Products produced by gebana network affiliates are certified by an independent Certification Body according to EU Regulation 834/2007 or according to customer demand under Bio Suisse, Demeter, NOP, or other organic standards. FLO/Fairtrade: All gebana affiliates are certified FLO. gebana requires information/documentation of the Certification results of its producers/exporters (certification summary/non-compliances). Internal gebana standards: Producing/Exporting gebanas do have their internal control systems as f.ex. required for smallholder groups by the organic certification. In addition gebana audits the producers/exporters occasionally as a guidance at least every second year to ensure compliance with the standards set down in this document. The audit is carried out on site. It covers the organic, fair trade and quality standards or relevant/ chosen parts of it. It is based on (a) meeting(s) with the Manager and at least one employee. The findings of the audit are documented for products supplied from external suppliers (sold via direct sales) External standards: The organic quality is assured through certification by independent Certification Bodies according to EU Regulation 834/2007 on organic production. Accordingly, all gebana affiliates are certified

8 8 organic. As explained previously, a small part of food sold via direct sales is not certified organic, f.ex. when the products are in transformation to organic production or are not certified for political or organizational reasons. In such cases, we consider the project/supplier to be worthy to support for other aspects (f.ex. social or political reasons). Of course, such products are not labeled organic. FLO/Fairtrade: FLO certification is preferable but not a must. Direct, reliable information about a project is more important than the standard or certification. There are good projects that are not certified FLO. However if the information on a project is rather weak, then certification according to a reliable standard such as FLO is preferred. Internal gebana Standards: gebana seeks an open, sincere contact with its suppliers. We ask for project related information, and a questionnaire is completed, which covers various organic and fairtrade aspects, including criterias such as f.ex. air transport and producer support.