LEAF, Linking Environment And Farming, has achieved full membership of ISEAL, the global membership association for sustainability standards.
Full membership is the highest membership status within ISEAL and demonstrates a high level of compliance with ISEAL’s Codes of Good Practice, which are seen as global references for developing credible standards. The Codes of Good Practice cover standard setting, impact evaluation and assurance (certification and accreditation).
LEAF’s global assurance system, the LEAF Marque, which recognises farmed products produced to more sustainable standards, is underpinned by the principles of the ISEAL Codes of Good Practice.
The LEAF Marque is based on LEAF’s principles of Integrated Farm Management (IFM), a whole farm business approach that delivers more sustainable farming. It uses the best of modern technology and traditional methods to enrich the environment and engage local communities.
Globally, there has been a 7.8 per cent year-on-year increase in the hectares of crop grown on LEAF Marque-certified businesses, which currently stands at 266,324 hectares. FMCG-related organisations, such as Unilever, Florette and Waitrose, currently support the LEAF Marque standard.
Speaking on the news, Jeremy Boxall, director of LEAF Marque, said: "Full membership of ISEAL is the gold standard for global sustainability assurance systems. This is third-party acknowledgement of all the work that goes into ensuring LEAF Marque standards are robust and credible and that it can help companies meet their social and environmental objectives, support their CSR goals, and bring transparency to supply chains, reduce costs and manage supply chain risks."
Karin Kreider, executive director of ISEAL, welcomed LEAF into full ISEAL Alliance membership.
"It has been an incredible journey, from the development of its LEAF Marque standards and the certification of its first farms in 2002, and to have now achieved full membership highlights the considerable commitment from the team to meet the criteria of the Standard-Setters Code. We now look forward to continuing to work closely with LEAF, sharing the learning and tracking their impacts and improvements," she said.
© 2015 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news.
