Washington, DC – With sustainability as one of its strategic commitments, the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) BB #:378962 is pleased to announce that IFPA Director of Sustainability Tamara Muruetagoiena has been asked to serve as Chair of The Consumer Goods Forum Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative’s (SSCI) Environmental Working Group.
Through its Benchmark, which recognizes third-party sustainability compliance schemes that cover key sustainability requirements and apply relevant governance and verification, the SSCI seeks to build trust in sustainability standards worldwide. In 2022, the SSCI launched an Environmental Working Group to develop benchmark criteria to expand the scope of the SSCI Benchmark from social to environmental sustainability.
“As Chair of this working group and through my connections to the fresh produce growing and production community, I will ensure the perspectives of fruit and vegetable growers are part of the SSCI’s efforts to build trust and drive harmonization among environmental sustainability standards worldwide,” Muruetagoiena commented.
“Throughout my professional career, sustainability has remained a cornerstone, and this opportunity to lead and contribute to a broader group of stakeholders is very much in alignment with my personal beliefs and IFPA’s strategic priorities.”
As an organization, IFPA is devoting considerable resources to sustainability, including establishing the Fresh Produce Research Center with sustainability as its first initiative. The Center will connect academia with industry and lean into IFPA’s advocacy strengths to ensure agencies prioritize investment in fresh produce research on behalf of the industry.
This is in addition to ongoing IFPA consumer research on sustainability, active engagement in the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, working to advance climate-smart production and marketplace through USDA grant funding, and numerous resources in packaging, regenerative agriculture, an ethical charter focused on responsible labor practices, and more.
“As this moment in our history, it’s never been more crucial to discover social, economic, and environmental opportunities for the global fresh produce community through sustainable actions, and I am proud to represent the global fresh produce community’s and IFPA’s voice on this working group,” she said.
About the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA)
The International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) is the largest and most diverse international association serving the entire fresh produce and floral supply chain and the only to seamlessly integrate world-facing advocacy and industry-facing support. We exist to bring the industry together to create a vibrant future for all. We grow our member’s prosperity by conducting advocacy; connecting people and ideas; and offering guidance that allows us all to take action with purpose and confidence.
About the Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative
The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) builds trust in sustainability standards worldwide by benchmarking third-party auditing and certification programs and recognizing schemes that meet industry expectations. By providing an open-source list of recognized programs, the SSCI delivers clear guidance on which schemes cover key sustainability criteria and apply relevant verification practices. The SSCI improves transparency in the market, facilitates decision-making on schemes at both buyer and supplier level and sets the responsible sourcing expectations for the industry. The Initiative initially focuses on social compliance with the potential to expand the scope to environmental compliance. For more information, visit www.tcgfssci.com.
About The Consumer Goods Forum
The Consumer Goods Forum (“CGF”) is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards that serves the consumer goods industry worldwide. It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format. Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 3.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises more than 55 manufacturer and retailer CEOs. For more information, please visit: www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.
