Your step by step guide
Year 1 Communication Guide
for Suppliers
Introduction
In 2018 the fresh produce industry came together to publish the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices, a broad commitment to reducing the risk of labor abuse in produce supply chains. The Charter identifies thirteen principles that are key to effective labor management, but many industry stakeholders recognized the need for a scalable capacity-building program to help suppliers and growers strengthen the management systems necessary to uphold those principles. They also sought a tool to measure their suppliers’ progress along a continuous improvement journey toward more responsible labor practices. Equitable Food Initiative (EFI) and The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) have partnered to meet both these needs through the Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP).
In our work helping companies to generate and collect actionable data, EFI and TSC have learned that proactive preparation is key to maximizing performance on supply chain assessments. Whether measuring social or environmental performance, strategies that integrate assessments into ongoing operations help companies achieve better results and set them on a path to improving their scores year-over-year. Based on this insight and our unique perspectives, EFI and TSC have co-created this guide to help suppliers prepare for and optimize ECIP’s performance assessment process.
As a supplier, your buying customers have encouraged your commitment and participation in the Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP) and asked you to report your progress on TSC’s THESIS assessment platform. You will find here the information you need to get started. Our user-friendly interface gives you visibility and control of the data you share with buyers and enables alignment on priority goals and initiatives. Early engagement with the ECIP will grant you access to your largest customers. We’re excited to see your continued dedication to responsible labor practices reflected in your upcoming results. View Homepage | View TSC | View EFI
Important facts about the upcoming ECIP:
- Retailer Participation is Built on the 2019-21 EFI Pilot
- Walmart, Costco, McDonalds and Kroger are all a part of the 2023 campaign season
- Featured Assessments
- Ethical Charter Implementation Program’s Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ) for all Produce Categories
- Enhanced Content and Alignment
- KPIs will reflect alignment with other
- Retained historical information for returning users of the 2022 campaign season.
Email help@sustainabilityconsortium.org for help, questions or assistance.
A guide released soon will contain instructions on how to report your ECIP engagement score on THESIS.
The more of your suppliers that participate, the more valuable their ECIP engagement data will be for you and your suppliers. As a buyer, you can use the system to inform your procurement decisions and to incentivize supplier and grower engagement, allowing them to self-segment into performance categories based on their supply chain labor practices:
those who use credible third-party programs to certify labor practices at field level;
those who improve their field labor management systems over time, as demonstrated by ECIP’s self-assessment and worker survey data; and
those who do not meaningfully engage this system.
Your Step by Step Guide Year 1 Communication Guide for Suppliers
STEP
Once Your Retail Customer Reaches Out, Sign Up to Be an Early Adopter of ECIP
Through its science-based, multi-stakeholder approach, TSC and EFI have identified that most relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) based on the Ethical Charter and designed to measure engagement on labor practice in produce. Retailers that are part of the 2023 ECIP program will reach out directly to you for your commitment. Details on how to enter your information into THESIS will be made available at a later date.
STEP
Organize Your Data Collection Needs
Retail customers will communicate the assessments they would like you to fill out on THESIS for ECIP based on self-assessments from all your growers. Create grower lists as appropriate. Segment and map your contact list.
STEP
Communicate With Your Growers
Identify which of your buying customers want to receive your ECIP data so that you can identify which of your growers should be included. These are some of the questions you will need to answer:
— What product categories do I supply to the participating buyers?
— What growing operations are a part of the relevant product category supply chains?
– Do I have contact information for these growing operations?
— What management systems are being used on-farm?
— Which on-farm employee should complete the self-assessment?
STEP
Use Available Resources and Guides
TSC and EFI will provide many resources to help growers complete the ECIP assessments. Watch for continued communications on webinars, tools and Q&As to help you complete your assessments.