Certifications in the food sector are not just a quality stamp, but key tools for ensuring transparency and sustainability of production chains
By Antonella Ilaria Totaro – Renewable Matter.
In recent years, sustainability has become a central issue in the European food sector. On the one hand, more and more consumers want to buy products that respect the environment and workers’ rights and are willing to pay a higher price for sustainable products. According to the World Economic Forum’s Winning in Green Markets: Scaling Products for a Net Zero World report, co-authored with the Boston Consulting Group, the number of consumers in a given category who would choose sustainability increases by about 2-4 times (to 20-43 percent of consumers) when sustainability is linked to other benefits such as health, safety and quality. The number of consumers who would make sustainable choices increases another 2-4 times (to about 80 percent) when barriers such as convenience, information, and cost are addressed.
On the other hand, companies, also adapting to EU policies on Sustainable Food Systems, one of the flagship initiatives of the Farm to Fork strategy, are taking steps to reduce their ecological footprint by implementing sustainability projects that aim to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water and energy resources, and preserve biodiversity. In this context, sustainability certifications play a crucial role in ensuring transparency and accountability throughout the supply chain, providing greater security, quality and information to the end customer, while enabling value chain discussions and evaluating elements such as the sustainability of raw materials. The role of these certifications will become increasingly important in the coming years: for consumers, they represent a reliable guide to making informed choices; for companies, an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to a more sustainable future.
Regenerative Organic Certified and the partnership between Davines and Rodale Institute.
Created in 2018 by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, itself born from a partnership between Rodale Institute, Patagonia and Dr. Bronners’, Regenerative Organic Certified(ROC) aims to be the highest standard of regenerative organic farming in the world. Born in the United States, in July 2021 the Italian Davines Group, in partnership with the Rodale Institute, established EROC – European Regenerative Organic Center, a research and training hub, which is also the promoter of ROC certification in Europe.
“We started by certifying the first regenerative organic farmers in Italy“, he tells us Dario Fornara, Research Director of Davines Group and EROC. “Barbera grape pomace extract from Vigna Cunial, a certified organic winery in Traversetolo, in the province of Parma, is the first certified organic regenerative ingredient, with other companies in Italy, Austria, France and Greece following suit.” By combining extracts of Barbera grape pomace from the Cunial Vineyard and green anise from the Corradetti farm in Castignano (Ascoli Piceno), formerly a Slow Food Presidium, Davines has launched WE STAND/for regeneration, a limited-edition shampoo and shower bath.
Beyond certification, the alliance between Rodale Institute and Davines aims to train farmers in regenerative agriculture practices and push the frontiers of sustainability further in terms of research, science, and contribution to the preservation of biodiversity and CO₂ sequestration. “We aim to create a movement and involve other players in the Italian agribusiness and cosmetics sector starting first from the pillars of Regenerative Organic Certified, which are soil health, animal welfare and people’s well-being,” Fornara explains. “At the same time, we have Slow Food Presidia in Italy that are valuable excellences that can be used to create new ingredients for cosmetics, and we also want to expand beyond Europe by taking and certifying certain ingredients, such as coffee in Africa. We want to be a lighthouse, where people learn and take inspiration to advance the regenerative organic movement. “
Product Certifications
For those seeking food products grown in an environmentally friendly way, organic certification is an important guarantee. In Europe, the main reference is EU Regulation 2018/848, which establishes strict criteria for the production and labeling of organic products. Among the best-known certification bodies, Ecocert is an internationally recognized body that ensures compliance with organic standards throughout the supply chain.
Like the previous TBR, organic food certification is voluntary in nature and is used by companies in the food and livestock supply chain. Since 2007, the European Union has made the use of the common organic label-also called Euro-leaf-mandatory for all organic products made on European territory. In order to obtain certification on foods, they must contain at least 95 percent organic ingredients, while also meeting stringent conditions for the remaining 5 percent of ingredients.
Still looking at production methods, UNI 11233 on Integrated Production is an environmentally friendly method of cultivation that involves the adoption of techniques that ensure a lower environmental impact, a reduction in the release of chemicals into the environment, supplementing with natural inputs. In this case, the certification covers farms, packers and processors of agricultural products for their crop production.
Positive Food and transparent labeling
While ROC and product certifications look primarily at the processes and ways in which food is grown and produced, there is a parallel system of certifications, again on a voluntary basis, to which companies in the food sector can also conform. Beyond ISO 14001, ISO 50001 and EMAS that address energy efficiency and environmental impact of food companies and beyond, an interesting initiative in this direction is Positive Food, the first sustainability labeling system in Italy.
Based on four pillars-environment, nutrients, people, and supply chain-the project, launched in 2022 with the help of Milan Center for Food Law and Policy, supports the creation of a new voluntary certification model that provides consumers with a concise but comprehensive assessment of product sustainability so they can make informed, healthy, and sustainable food choices.
Ethical Certifications
There is, of course, no shortage of ethical certifications, such as that of the Rainforest Alliance, a nongovernmental organization founded in 1987, which certifies the entire supply chain from field to consumer for raw materials such as coffee, cocoa, hazelnuts and tea, verifying compliance with social and environmental aspects, especially in the early stages of production. Incorporated in 2018 into the Rainforest Alliance in response to the growing challenges of deforestation, climate change, systemic poverty and social inequality, UTZ certification aims to ensure best agricultural practices with reduced environmental impact, while looking at the living and social conditions of workers.
Based on rigorous social, environmental and economic standards, international Fair Trade certification ensures that producers’ fair trade rights are respected, as well as that the ecosystem and environment are protected at all stages of production.
In the Italian context, again focusing on the ethical supply chain, although it is not a true certification, there is the No Cap brand label that aims to make more transparent the origin of a product, its mode of production, respect for human rights, the application of legal contracts and, last but not least, respect for the environment and animal welfare.
Against deforestation: a commitment to the future
Deforestation is one of the most pressing environmental problems, also linked to the production of agricultural commodities such as soy, palm oil and cocoa. Despite the European Union’s approval of the Anti-Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which requires companies to ensure that their products do not contribute to forest destruction, there is currently no specific certification in the food supply chain in this regard.
While not directly concerning food production, finally, the German ISCC PLUS certification ensures the sustainability of agricultural raw materials and compliance with environmental regulations. Linked to the circular economy and the agricultural supply chain, in fact, this certification covers agricultural waste and residues, raw materials derived from renewable energy, but also sustainably grown agricultural raw materials and forest biomass, which can be used, for example, in the packaging sector.
Cover photo by Melissa Askew from Unsplash
