Building
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
Produce Supply Chain Assurance
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icholas Wra
icholas Wra
“EFI is the new way. It’s not just about one person telling everyone what to do, this process teaches us about everyone working together to get things done.” -- Steve, Farm Manager, A&W Vizcaino, Baja, Mexico
2015 Annual Report Board Members Erik Nicholson, Chair ational Vice resident
nited arm Workers
Maisie Ganzler, Vice-Chair Chief Strateg and rand fficer on App tit anagement Compan
Preston Witt, Secretary: anager Supplier Code of Conduct Compliance Costco Wholesale Corporation
Bruce Goldstein, Treasurer resident
arm orker ustice
Adrian Almeida Vice resident of anufacturing and uman Capital atureS eet
Ernie Farley artner Andre resh roduce
Williamson
Thomas Gremillion Director of ood olic Consumer ederation of America
David Plunkett Senior Staff Attorne ood Safet Center for Science in the ublic Interest
Kevin Boyle Training and usiness Development Director
In Memoriam
Kenton Harmer Certification Director
Peter O’Driscoll
Ramón Ramírez resident and Co ounder ineros Campesinos nidos del oroeste
ecutive Director
Senior Scientist esticide Action et ork orth America
Minor Sinclair ffice
Baldemar Velasquez resident and ounder arm Labor rgani ing Committee
1 Building Produce Supply Chain Assurance 2015 Annual Report
Steve Fox
Jennifer Pelayo usiness Development
Margaret Reeves
Director S Regional fam America
Staff
anager
Johnna Phillips Communications and Director
arketing
Juliana Rodriguez Administrative Coordinator
Gretta Siebentritt Training
anager
Kurt Schweitzer
This Annual Report is dedicated to the memory of Kurt Schweitzer, EFI board member and President of Keystone Fruit Marketing (19532016), and Steve Fox, EFI Business Development Director (1948-2015).
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From the Executive Director eter
Driscoll “This is a certification program that is not only concerned about the fruit, but the wellbeing of employees. The training allows us to know how to work together on production and quality issues also.” -- Mayra, worker, Alpine Fresh, Tecate, Mexico
The EFI trustmark signals a
new level of assurance that food safety protocols are
being observed, that pesticide use is carefully managed, and that
2015 was a transformational year for the Equitable Food Initiative! We successfully incorporated as an independent non-profit organization, secured federal 501(c)3 status, and significantly expanded our outreach to the produce industry. EFI emerged out of multiple conversations
over several ears among strange bedfello s ho ere seeking a better a to provide assurance to retailers and consumers that their fruits and vegetables ere safel and ethicall harvested The original stakeholders committed to finding solutions that create real value for gro ers ho meet rigorous standards and for the farm orkers hose skill and hard ork bring health produce to America s tables
EFI was born as a program of Oxfam America,
hich facilitated the multi stakeholder dialogue from then staffed and incubated the organi ation through arch of hen I spun off as a corporation That smooth transition as greatl facilitated b important launch grants from The ohn D and Catherine T acArthur oundation The Atlantic hilanthropies and fam Later in I as bolstered b funding from the road Reach und and the Cedar Tree oundation and the Walt Disne Compan s Suppl Chain Investment rogram accelerated I s e pansion into Latin America
This Annual Report on our first year of
independent operation provides a brief overvie of ho I facilitates collaboration among orkers gro ers retailers and consumer groups to provide fresh fruits and vegetables that are both responsibl gro n and farm orker assured We have big plans for the future engaging more retailers and their suppliers and increasing the number of certified farms and orkers ho are re arded for their continuous verification role We hope ou ll oin us on this ourne Sincerel
workers are treated fairly on a continuous basis. eter
Driscoll
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Photo by Nicholas Wray
EFI Mission The mission of the Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) is to transform relationships across the produce industry, recognizing the role farm workers play in the supply chain. We improve labor practices, environmental stewardship and food safety for the benefit of workers, agricultural communities, businesses and consumers.
EFI Vision The Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) envisions a thriving produce industry, built on a culture of collaboration. Farmworkers are respected and engaged professionals, living and working in safe, dignified conditions. Growers, buyers, and consumers are assured that their produce is safe and responsibly grown.
Photos by Windset
3 1 Building Produce Supply Chain Assurance 2015 Annual Report
EFI: Multi-Stakeholder Design I believes that innovations in produce assurance must create measurable benefits for all stakeholders farm orkers gro ers food companies and consumers The initiative has been designed and improved through the participation of stakeholders that understand the real potential for mutual benefit through e ploration of ne a s of orking together
W
L S ST
A
R AC
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L S ST
A
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Multi-Stakeholder Board 2015 Andre and Williamson resh roduce on App tit anagement Compan Center for Science in the ublic Interest Consumer ederation of America Costco Wholesale Corporation
arm orker ustice arm Labor rgani ing Committee e stone ruit atureS eet fam America
esticide Action et ork orth America ineros Campesinos nidos del oroeste C nited arm Workers
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The EFI Program:
Workforce Development Leading to Certification
RIGOROUS STANDARDS: The
I standards ere developed for S farms and have since been updated to cover Canadian and e ican operations Workers are assured of decent conditions and consumers ill kno that throughout the suppl chain committed partners are orking together to make their food as safe and health as possible
LEADERSHIP TRAINING: At the farm level
I trains a representative team of orkers and managers on ho to appl labor pesticide and food safet benchmarks on site and ho to engage the entire orkforce in compliance ro ers and retailers benefit from a orkforce that improves production processes and ensures a safer food suppl Workers find ne opportunities to broaden their skills
Rigorous Standards
Leadership Training
Workforce Development Consumer Label
CERTIFICATION:
nce the farm declares itself to be in conformit ith the I Standard a third part auditor from nder riters Laboratories or SCS lobal Services visits the farm to verif its claim and recommend final certification arms that compl ith the I Standard are issued a certificate listed on I s ebsite and licensed to appl an I trustmark to their product
CONTINUOUS WORKER VERIFICATION:
Is approach creates both an on farm mechanism the Leadership Team and an incentive improved orking conditions assured b the standards through hich farm orkers collaborate ith management to identif and address threats to food safet sustainabilit and social accountabilit on a continuous basis
Assurance
Certification
Continuous Improvement
Continuous Verification
“EFI has brought about unanticipated change that has improved our organization beyond the standards and certification. We are going to implement in all of our facilities.” -- Jeff Madu , VP, Windset Farms, Delta, BC, Canada
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The EFI Process:
Collaborating to Build Supply Chain Assurance
Relationship Cultivation -
relationships standards
ith gro ers
ho
I builds ant to meet higher
Grower Mapping -
I gathers data about the farm to be certified and its e isting protocols
Customized Training -
I trains a mi ed Leadership Team of orkers and managers over hours tailoring the approach to the farm s s stems
Standards - the Leadership Team and
management ork together to make sure the farm complies ith labor pest management and food safet re uirements
Audit - farm hires Certif
Continuous Worker Verification
ing od to conduct
da on site audit
Certification - if auditors are satisfied
ith a corrective action plan and all standards have been met the farm receives a ear certificate
Labeled Product - certified farms are
licensed to use the I Responsibl ro n arm orker Assured label on their produce
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icholas Wra
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“What I like about EFI, it’s not just a piece of paper that says we are certified, it teaches a process to stay certified.” -- Marcela, supervisor, AgriBean, Puebla, Mexico
2015 Program Highlights How EFI is already making a difference EFI’s vision of a safer and more sustainable produce industry is being built farm by farm, grower by grower, retailer by retailer. By the end of 2015 we had: Worked ith major produce suppliers on plans to certif all the farms in their suppl chains The training and certification process as under a in facilities in Canada the nited States and e ico and farms had alread been certified Trained 142 men and 105 women to ork on I Leadership Teams in those facilities hich together emplo a total of
7,291 farmworkers.
ith 10 major retail and food service companies around ho the can support their produce suppliers to achieve I certification egotiated
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Discussed at the highest levels of the U.S. government ho certification to I labor pest management and food safet standards can enhance compliance ith the regulator agendas of the Department of Labor nvironmental rotection Agenc and ood and Drug Administration Developed press and social media outreach to consumers about I and our Responsibl ro n arm orker Assured label reaching over 158 million readers. uilt a team of 7 full-time staff and 8 trainers and consultants, along ith an
engaged and committed board of directors
icholas Wra
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Audited inancial Statements
EFI would like to thank the following organizations for their support in 2015: Atlantic hilanthropies
Statement of inancial osition December
road Reach und Cedar Tree oundation ohn D and Catherine T
acArthur oundation
fam America Walt Disne Compan s Suppl Chain Investment rogram
ASS TS Cash and cash e uivalents rants and accounts receivable repaid
penses
Deposits TOTAL ASSETS
LIA ILITI S A D
T ASS TS
Liabilities Accounts pa able and accrued e penses Total Liabilities
T ASS TS nrestricted Restricted Total Net Assets TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
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Statement of Activities ear nded December Temporaril Revenue
nrestricted
Restricted
Total
Contributions and grants In kind contributions rogram income et assets released from restrictions Total Revenue and Support
$1,321,464
$3,626,619
$4,948,083
Expenses rogram service anagement and general undraising Total Expenses
$1,378,879
-
$1,378,879
Change in Net Assets Net Assets, Beginning of Year Net Assets, End of Year
($57,415)
9 Building Produce Supply Chain Assurance 2015 Annual Report
$3,626,619
$3,569,204
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icholas Wra
“Now, with EFI, we have been able to have a voice on the farm. They are responding to our concerns, our needs... That’s why we like it a lot, since they are concerned about everyone, from the workers to the consumers, and all of us come out winning.”
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-- Maria, Leadership Team Secretary, A+W, Oxnard, California
1875 Connecticut Avenue, NW, 10th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20009.
equitablefood.org
Equitable Food Initiative