At the heart of every ethical sourcing journey is a commitment not just to compliance, but to people. At AMFRESH North America, that commitment is led by individuals who understand that real progress comes from collaboration, accountability and care. In this spotlight, we speak with Jamal Abshir, Social Compliance and Sustainability Coordinator, who shares how AMFRESH is working to strengthen supplier partnerships, advance worker well-being and embed sustainability throughout the supply chain.
I serve as the Social Compliance and Sustainability Coordinator at AMFRESH North America. My role focuses on managing ethical sourcing programs, overseeing supplier compliance with international standards, coordinating third-party social compliance audits (such as SMETA and Fair Trade), and implementing sustainability initiatives across our grower network. I work closely with internal teams and external partners to ensure that our sourcing practices reflect our commitment to transparency, fairness and continuous improvement.
I initially joined the produce industry because an opportunity presented itself. But what truly sparked my passion was seeing how agriculture is deeply connected to peoples’ lives. What keeps me inspired is knowing that our work goes beyond compliance—it uplifts farmworkers, strengthens communities and drives lasting change across the supply chain. That impact, and the relationships we build along the way, continue to motivate me every day.
AMFRESH North America is proud to be part of the AMFRESH Group, a global organization that places sustainability and ethical practices at the heart of its operations. Across the Group, there is a strong emphasis on responsible sourcing, environmental stewardship and human rights. At the North American level, we leverage that global vision by working closely with our growers to meet international standards. We support our partners with tools, training and resources to foster a culture of accountability and continuous progress.
ECIP has been instrumental in formalizing and strengthening our approach to supplier engagement. It has given us a structured platform to assess, communicate and improve social performance across the supply chain. With ECIP, we’re able to identify areas of risk, address issues collaboratively and support our growers in building stronger, more sustainable operations.
ECIP has allowed us to align our internal social responsibility goals with our buyers’ expectations in a more transparent and strategic way. It enhances our ability to monitor progress and proactively engage with suppliers—especially in preparation for retailer-driven initiatives. What has made a real difference is the support from the ECIP team. They’ve been incredibly responsive and helpful, answering every question we had as we learned the system. Their guidance made it much easier for us to onboard our growers and get them comfortable using the platform. That level of support gave us the confidence to roll out ECIP across more sites and integrate it more fully into our overall supplier engagement strategy. ECIP has become more than just a compliance tool, it’s a collaborative framework that enables us to build stronger partnerships and make measurable progress on our ethical sourcing goals.
Yes, we are committed to expanding our use of ECIP both within AMFRESH North America and across our grower network. We’re integrating ECIP more fully into our ethical trade and supplier engagement strategy, using it to inform audit readiness, risk analysis and grower support programs. As more of our partners adopt the platform, it will strengthen data consistency, improve outcomes and drive deeper accountability across the board.
Being part of the ECIP community has been a meaningful experience. The platform has helped elevate the conversation around worker well-being and ethical trade in practical, results-driven ways. At AMFRESH, we believe that doing the right thing for people and the planet is not just a responsibility—it’s a core part of how we do business. ECIP supports that mission, and I’m proud to help lead its implementation in North America.