Corporate Social Responsibility Press Release
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8.14.2008 - 03:00pm ET
News from:
Scientific Certification Systems
First Ever National Initiative to Establish Sustainable Agriculture Standard (SCS-001) Enters Next Important Phase
Wide Cross-Section of Stakeholders to Develop ANSI Standard
(CSRwire) EMERYVILLE,CA. - August 14, 2008 - The American National Standards
Institute (ANSI) process to develop a national standard for sustainable
agriculture will take another important step forward this September as the
newly formed Standards Committee meets to establish its work plan and form
the Subcommittees that will negotiate the contents of the final
standard.
The 58 individuals on the Standards Committee will take the reins of the
standard-setting process at the first Standards Committee meeting, to be
held in Madison, Wisconsin next month. The Standards Committee includes
farmers, both large and small, representing conventional, organic and
other alternative agriculture perspectives, as well as wholesalers and
retailers. Also represented on the committee are major industry
associations, as well as academic researchers, regulators, and
environmental and labor representatives.
"This is an exciting moment, as it sets the stage for the first national
discussion about sustainable agriculture, and the many important issues
encompassed by this concept," said Michael Arny, president of Leonardo
Academy, the ANSI-accredited standards development organization charged
with shepherding the process forward. "There are still ample
opportunities for additional stakeholders to participate by applying to
work on the various Subcommittees, and later during the public review and
comment process. The ANSI process is an open process that welcomes
everyone."
Sustainability is widely understood to encompass environmental, social,
and economic parameters, dating back to the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development in 1992. For agricultural products, safety
and quality parameters are also a key part of the sustainability
discussion. SCS-001, the draft standard that will serve as the starting
point for discussions, also addresses the impacts of product packaging,
the responsibilities of the supply chain, and agricultural practices that
can minimize greenhouse gases.
"We would like to congratulate Leonardo Academy on the incredible job
they've done in selecting a balanced, multi-stakeholder task group to
serve on the Standards Committee," said Linda Brown, executive vice
president of Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). "The commitment of so
many talented individuals to participate in a constructive, forward-looking
sustainability dialogue bodes well for a process that will help guide
sustainability practices for years to come. We look forward to taking our
seat at this table among these exceptional individuals."
According to Arny, the Leonardo Academy's aims are to guide a process that
supports continuous improvement over time in a measurable and transparent
manner, with sufficient flexibility to take into account the changes that
inevitably occur in ecosystems and the production variables associated
with different agricultural regions.
"This standard could serve many potential beneficial uses," said Arny. "It
could stimulate better understanding of sustainability dynamics, provide a
roadmap for practical improvement, and establish a credible infrastructure
and procedures for meaningful verification of claims."
Remote access to meetings for, participants at both the Standards
Committee and Subcommittee levels will remove barrier to participation for
members who are not able to travel to meetings. This will also help reduce
the energy burden and lower the carbon footprint of the standard setting
process itself.
"The challenges ahead are significant, including regional variables,
important product sector distinctions, concerns that the interests of
small and mid-scale farmers be protected, and awareness that standards
must remain flexible enough to encourage continuing innovation,” Brown
observed. "Likewise, there is a growing recognition that sustainability is
itself a journey, one that ultimately involves relationships along the
entire value chain, from grower to consumer. And there are still many
unknowns, because our understanding of sustainability evolves along with
our increasing knowledge about the risks to the environment. But it is
these very challenges that provide the most compelling reasons for
stakeholders to join in this national sustainability dialogue."
For more information please contact:
Diane Dulmage, Communications Associate
Scientific Certification Systems
510-452-8003
www.scscertified.com
www.scscertified.com/
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