Chiquita Joins the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform to Optimize Farming Operations
Banana Brand Rolls Out SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment Across Farms in time for International Day of the Tropics
Fort Lauderdale, FL – June 27, 2023 – As a global citizen, Chiquita recognizes its responsibility to protect the Tropics, the environment in which it cultivates its tasty yellow bananas and has led the industry in sustainability practices through its “Behind the Sticker” approach for nearly three decades. The Tropics have continued to be an ideal location for Chiquita to grow its sustainable bananas for more than a century because of its climate, and to pay homage to this land, Chiquita is announcing its induction into the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform) and the planned implementation of SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0 across its farms just in time for International Day of the Tropics.
SAI Platform is a community of more than 170 member companies, united by a purpose and the belief that the planet and the people who live on it are worth caring for. Members consider agriculture to be an industry with boundless potential to unlock sustainable futures for the people and ecosystems involved in it. The Farm Sustainability Assessment is an industry recognized toolset that serves as a global verification framework for sustainable farming and sourcing practices, which enables companies to assess their sustainability practices and audit practices on 11 sustainability measures, including labor conditions, water management, air quality and greenhouse gas emissions.
“Chiquita continues to be committed to preserving the Tropics while empowering the communities that reside there. By working hand-in-hand with leading sustainability organizations such as SAI Platform, we can assess farming operations and create practices that optimize our sustainability in these areas” said Peter Stedman, Chiquita’s Director of Sustainability. “For nearly three decades, the brand has worked to create sustainable changes in its tropical farming regions, that will instill long-term value to these communities. By joining this global platform, the brand is able to share key insights into its sustainability efforts while learning from other leaders in agricultural farming.”
Chiquita is committed to celebrating and preserving the Tropics and its inhabitants through the company’s all-encompassing “Behind the Blue Sticker” strategic approach, which implements the principles of sustainability with three main elements: The Farmers Code, focused on their farms and operations, Being a Good Neighbor, to communities and For the Greater Good, of the industry and planet. Last year, the company announced its “30by30” sustainability program, which aims to reduce carbon emissions across brand operations by 30% by the end of 2030. With this program, Chiquita is the first global fruit company to be recognized by the Science Based Target Initiative (SBTi).
“We’re proud to welcome Chiquita to SAI Platform, which was created to promote the worldwide development of sustainable agriculture,” said Joe Rushton, FSA Director at SAI Platform. “The FSA will provide Chiquita and its suppliers with an industry recognized way of assessing, improving and verifying on-farm sustainability performance. We look forward to creating positive change together.”
To learn more about Chiquita’s environmental efforts, check out the brand’s latest Sustainability Report.
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About Chiquita Brands International
Chiquita is a leading global produce company that is committed to providing both consumers and customers across nearly 70 countries with the highest quality of fruit and service, making Chiquita the banana of choice. For more than 150 years, Chiquita has been proudly producing great-tasting, superior quality bananas. The brand creates a positive impact by implementing the principles of sustainability throughout all of its business practices under the “Behind the Blue Sticker” initiative. Chiquita’s iconic Blue Sticker has been the seal of approval for high-quality fruit, and a celebration of fun, but it also represents an unwavering commitment to sustainable farming, biodiversity and giving back to the communities in which the banana plantations operate. Great-tasting and convenient Chiquita bananas are fat-free, and provide a source of potassium, fiber and vitamin B6. To learn more, visit www.chiquita.com.
About SAI Platform
Founded in 2002, the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform) is a global not-for-profit organization transforming the food and drink industry to source and produce more sustainably.
With over 170 members, from companies and organisations in the food and drink industry, SAI Platform is at the forefront in pioneering sustainable agriculture around the world. Members come together in a collaborative, interactive environment to share expertise, create solutions to common challenges and promote sustainable agriculture. By developing farm level tools and business to business solutions, SAI Platform is enabling its members to create secure and resilient agricultural supply chains. The current focus is on beef, dairy and crops. SAI Platform’s innovative and industry-focused tools including the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA), the Sustainable Dairy Partnership (SDP), the European Roundtable for Beef Sustainability (ERBS) and the currently under development programme for regenerative agriculture are leading the industry to implement more sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices while delivering value to SAI Platform members, farmers, their communities and consumers.
