Updates from the Bonsucro Standard Revision Advisory Group

16th October 2019

Bonsucro standard revision

The Bonsucro Production Standard Revision has been underway since April 2019. As part of the revision, which will last until December 2020, Bonsucro has hosted advisory groups across the different origins in which our stakeholders operate. These groups give our members and stakeholders an opportunity to ask questions, give feedback and advice on the Production Standard and the revision.

Thus far, we have held four advisory group meetings with our stakeholders.  The first one was for Southern Africa and Mauritius, where we discussed locally relevant indicators with mills, research bodies and other local stakeholders. Next we discussed the auditability of certain indicators with Certification Bodies.

In Nicaragua, an advisory group was arranged by our member CNV Internationaal. CNV works with a network of sugarcane mill unions in Central and South America. This meeting was an excellent opportunity to provide feedback on the social indicators of the Production Standard.

Likewise, in El Salvador, a meeting was hosted by the Central America Sugar Mills Association (AICA). AICA invited 44 representatives from certified and non-certified mills across Central America to give input into the Standard revision.

We have been encouraged by the interest that has been shown in the revision of the Production Standard and would like to extend a sincere thanks to all who have committed time and expertise to it. Specifically, we appreciate both CNV and AICA for their involvement in Nicaragua and El Salvador. We look forward to receiving the input from the Thai and Australian industries. Advisory groups will be held for these two prominent origins in the next week.

To find out more about the Bonsucro Production Standard revision process, click here.