 Visit the SASA website on http://www.isealalliance.org/sasa 

1. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa Overview of SASA – Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture A joint project of FLO, SAI, SAN and IFOAM 8 December 2003 SCI Meeting,Geneva Dr. Sasha Courville, project coordinator mailto:sasa@isealalliance.org

2. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture the initiators ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa FLO - Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International SAI - Social Accountability International SAN - Sustainable Agriculture Network, Rainforest Alliance IFOAM - International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements ISEAL and FAO are Project Partners

3. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture objectives ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa • SASA - Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture - is a collaborative project of four social and environmental verification systems, which aims to • develop tools and guidelines for the implementation of social audits across a wide range of agricultural systems • foster convergence between the four collaborating initiatives FLO, SAI, SAN, IFOAM through shared learning

4. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture sub-objectives ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa • Tools for social auditing • To develop best practice guidelines for social auditing and standard-setting in sustainable agriculture • Supply chain considerations • To examine supply chain actors’ impacts and responsibilities • Small holders • To address particular needs of smallholder producers • Mutual promotion • To explore the possibilities of mutual promotion of complementary systems

5. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture methodology ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa • Workshops and decision-making on specific topics • Joint research audit exercises at inspection level

6. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture Initial Results ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa • On social standards and auditing methodologies • There is significant convergence in social standards of the participating systems on most social standards issues • Further coordination and convergence of standards where possible, especially on difficult social auditing issues • Significant learning in best practice audit methodologies: • Health and safety in agriculture – learning from SAN • Smallholder approaches – learning from FLO and IFOAM • Verification of worker rights – learning from SAI • Addressing difficult social auditing issues: • Working Hours, Undocumented Workers, Freedom of Association

7. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture Initial Results ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa • On coordination between the four initiatives: • Context: • SASA initiatives are 4 main verification systems in agriculture • Some overlap but also key differences in approach (due to missions) and in target clients that makes these systems distinct • Question - How can these initiatives coordinate to: • Reduce overlaps • Build synergies between complementary systems • Provide a high quality alternative to proliferation of initiatives

8. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture Initial Results ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa • One possibility: One Stop Shop Approach • SASA initiatives under one “roof” through ISEAL – I.e. Airline Alliances or Department Store • Distinct initiatives but coordination through a seamless interface to improve services to producers and workers, supply chain companies, retailers and consumers • Requires coordination in delivery of products to clients but also in supporting processes to be able to deliver effective solutions

9. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture One Stop Shop ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa • Currently under discussion: • Information “Department”: generic and comparative information on certification systems (standards, scope, case studies on costs and benefits*, reference lists, markets) • Evaluation “Department: self-evaluation tools • Implementation “Department”: Extension and training • Inspection “Department”: integrated audit, modular components (traceability, management systems, ICS), streamlined documentation requirements, auditor training • Appropriate and cost-effective certification packages • Communication to consumers and institutions

10. Social Accountability in Sustainable Agriculture Time frame ►  Visit the SASA website onhttp://www.isealalliance.org/sasa Oct. 03 - Feb. 04 Evaluation workshops targeting key stakeholder groups Nov.03 - Jan 04 Final audit exercises trialling the One Stop Shop: coffee cotton April 20-21st 2004 Final SASA Conference at FAO, Rome Then… Implementation