The Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP)

The Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP) is a collaboration among retailers/buyers, grower-shippers and implementing organizations to recognize and strengthen engagement around labor practices in the fresh produce industry, highlight existing best-practice efforts, and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Through an assessment tool and capacity building resources, ECIP helps measure and strengthen alignment with the principles of the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices.

Launched with initial funding from the Walmart Foundation and administered by the Equitable Food Initiative, ECIP is overseen by an Advisory Group composed of leading buyers, suppliers and key stakeholders:

News & Happenings

Marketplace Service Provider

ECIP-Approved Certification: Fair Trade Certified

The Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP) recognizes and celebrates growers who hold social responsibility certifications. As part of this effort, The Sustainability Consortium has benchmarked and approved 16 certification programs, confirming their alignment with the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices. Growers who hold one of these certifications receive free access to ECIP LAB and can achieve the highest engagement

Leadership Circle

ECIP Welcomes 19 New Supplier Companies to the Leadership Circle

The ECIP Leadership Circle recognizes produce suppliers who demonstrate commitment to strengthening labor practices, continuous improvement and advancing the principles of the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices. At the 2024 Global Produce & Floral Show in Atlanta, ECIP recognized the 2025 cohort of Leadership Circle members, a group of 26 supplier companies who demonstrated outstanding commitment and credible engagement

ECIP LAB Video

ECIP LAB Explained: Vertically Integrated Operations

https://youtu.be/mBfk4Xc8YNw Are you a vertically integrated operation managing both a Supplier LAB and a Grower LAB account? There are two ways to invite your vertically integrated growing operation from your supplier account, depending on how the accounts are managed: 1. One employee manages both Supplier LAB and Grower LAB using the same email address: Due to data security protocols, this

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Walmart helped develop the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices. We have endorsed it ourselves and encouraged our suppliers to do the same. We aim to source 100% of Walmart U.S. fresh produce and floral products from suppliers who have endorsed this Industry framework and encourage them and their growers to engage in the Ethical Charter Implementation Program to further strengthen their labor practices and demonstrate the good work they are already doing.

ECIP reflects the power of industry collaboration to advance meaningful changes for people and our planet. We’re pleased to help scale this capacity-building work that prioritizes meeting growers where they are in their journey and offering practical resources and guidance to help enhance labor practices.

The Ethical Charter Implementation Program will give our supply chain the ability to showcase our alignment with the Ethical Charter principles and meet our customers’ expectations without undertaking the burden of audit or certification.

Equitable Food Initiative is a capacity-building and certification nonprofit that works to improve the lives of farmworkers and drive business performance by integrating worker voice and engagement throughout the supply chain. As a multistakeholder organization, EFI brings together growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumers to create assessment, training and organizational development programs that support continuous improvement and address the industry’s most pressing problems. For more information about Equitable Food Initiative, visit equitablefood.org.