The Staay Food Group, partners with Vidafresh in the UK, has signed a covenant to source sustainably from Central and South America, Africa and Asia by 2020.
Supermarkets, suppliers, and NGOs came together to subscribe to the deal last week. The companies are committed to having 30 per cent of their volume sourced sustainably by 2014, rising to 50 per cent in 2015 and 100 per cent volume sourced sustainably in 2020. The programme is co-ordinated by The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH).
Joost Oorthuizen, CEO of IDH, said: “What makes this covenant special is that it’s an agreement with the entire sector, representing more than 90 per cent of retail. Large and smaller parties from the sector are going to work on sustainability together.”
IDH is now discussing with the covenant partners how the joint projects should be set up. Aims of the projects include improving working conditions of seasonal workers and stimulating sustainable water use. IDH is primed to start its first projects in South Africa and Colombia.
