SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative

💡 Are you getting your head around measuring the #living #income gaps of the #farmers in your supply chain? And around measuring the #impact of your organization’s interventions on the living income closing these gaps?   As part of the #Roadmap on Living Income toolkit, we are pleased to share the recently launched tools by IDH:   📝 Income Measurement Guidance: A tool to assess the living income situation of farmers in your supply chain (Step 2 of the living income roadmap) https://lnkd.in/ekbftm8W   🌡 Income Driver Calculator (IDC): A tool to assess interventions to close the gap (Step 4 of the Living Income Roadmap) https://lnkd.in/eie_WGJJ In our upcoming webinar series in September, SSI members can understand how to use these tools and explore #sustainable #procurement to further achieve the living income goals of industry.   🔺 If you are also curious to learn more about SSI and how to join the webinar, get in touch with us and find out how you can become a member of SSI.   #livingincome #sustainability #betterjob #betterincome

🌾 SAI Platform held its annual General Assembly in #Durban, South Africa last week. SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative Chair, Tamás Sarkadi, attended to explore #opportunities for #collaboration between the two #sustainability platforms. A trip to Donovale Farms on Day 2 provided great examples of how local farmers successfully integrate and implement #RegenAgri practices into their daily operations. #Farmscaping, carefully designed land-use planning based on thorough soil analysis, and the use of indigenous flora to complement or even replace pesticides are just a few themes capturing the delegates’ imagination.   A visit to the South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) also proved to be fascinating and insightful, shedding light on how science-based breeding programs can mitigate the impacts of #climate change, contribute to higher living incomes, and improve food #security by making supply chains more resilient.   As our understanding of #sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices continues to evolve, we must realize that only sector-wide and cross-sectoral collaborations can address and resolve the complex challenges we face. We at SSI will continue to seek and promote such collaborations with partners like SAI and their members. Kudos to the organizers and sponsors of the General Assembly who made these few days unforgettable. Keep up the good work and continue raising the bar high, SAI Platform! Photo credits to SAI Platform Disclaimer: The images used in this post are the property of SAI platform. All rights reserved by the original creators. #RegenAg #Agriculture #Sustainability

🤝 #Collaboration to promote the #sustainable #transformation of the #spice markets and supply chains is one of SSI’s main ambitions. Having signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last year with the European Spice Association (ESA), SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative is working with ESA closely, provides expertise and shares knowledge regarding various sustainability topics, such as Due Diligence regulations coming into force in the EU.   As part of the sustainability session at this year’s ESA General Assembly, SSI Chairman Tamás Sarkadi delivered a presentation focusing on the latest developments regarding CSDDD. By raising awareness, SSI would like to help the members of the association to get ready for the upcoming #regulatory changes and #compliance requirements.   Thanks to the board of ESA and to Sandra Flodström in particular, Sustainability Working Group lead, for inviting SSI to co-host the sustainability session.   SSI is looking forward to continuing the #cooperation with ESA on key sustainability topics to jointly transform the sector.   Are you part of the spice industry and would like to learn more about sustainability? Feel free to reach out to us (SSI Secretariat)! #ESA #Collaboration #spices #GeneralAssembly

💡 Cross-learning and inspiration for Climate Action 💡   We are pleased to share the launch of the IDH Climate Action Library on June 10th. Claire Loudis from ofi, a SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative member, presented a regenerative agriculture case study. 80 members from various sector #initiatives joined the virtual event and gained #inspiration from the climate action examples showcased.   Ofi shared how they implemented #regenerative practices for onion and garlic successfully and touched upon their meadow and forest #ecosystem #restoration project, as they continue their journey towards #net #zero by 2050.   By facilitating the cross-pollination of ideas and solutions, we aim to #inspire #actionable changes on a sector-wide, global scale. Contact us if you would like to support the expansion of this library!   #ClimateAction #Reduction #ClimateChange #RegenerativeAgricultrue #RegenAg 

🌱SSI Walk the Talk: #Sustainability in #Action! 🌱 Over two days of productive discussions and #knowledge #sharing, the SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative community has once again demonstrated its #commitment towards sustainability. On the closing day, we visited Enyingi Agrár Zrt, a large #agricultural cooperative, where Mr. Ádám Rózsa, Chief of Plant Cultivation, described what challenges they face due to #ClimateChange and how their comprehensive approach to sustainable farming help them mitigate these. He also explained what measures they had taken to measure and to reduce their #CO2 and ammonia #emissions, showcasing how sustainability is seamlessly integrated into their daily operations. Our members experienced firsthand the successful implementation of sustainable practices and left inspired by Enyingi's dedication to a greener future. Last but not least, a group of attendees enjoyed a sightseeing tour in #Budapest, exploring the Buda Castle district, the Fishermen’s Bastion, the Matthias Church among others, indulging in delicious Hungarian desserts, and crossing the iconic Széchenyi Chain Bridge. A heartfelt thank you to all our members for their support and active participation in making this event a groundbreaking success! We look forward to seeing you again next year! ✨ #Sustainability #SSI #GreenFuture #Community #SustainableAgriculture

💡 Inspiration of #Climate #Actions: Launch of Climate Action Library   Do you want to be #inspired on how to take climate actions to #reduce your environmental footprint?   On coming Monday 10 June, IDH Climate Action Library will be launched, where one of our SSI members will be presenting in the hybrid launch event to facilitate cross-learnings across different sectors. SSI members are invited to join this session, who will gain #insights on how to reduce your environmental footprint, by getting internal buy-in, gathering resources, and #collaborating with potential partners within and beyond your supply chain.   By facilitating the cross-pollination of ideas and solutions, we aim to inspire #actionable #changes on a global scale. Do join SSI if you would like to engage in these cross-learning session! 🌎   #ClimateAction #Sustainability #Scope3emission #FootprintReduction 

🎉 Day 2 of SSI GA (PM): More #collaboration and #synergy   The SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative General Assembly continued Day 2 with a productive session on child labour and SSI's collaborations with national platforms and sector associations.    🌱 Marie Altahr-Cederberg, Chair of the Child Labour Working Group, shared the vision and progress of the WG, followed by Kim Thai Le sharing learnings and best practices while protecting and promoting the rights of the child in the coffee sector. Burcu Kugu from the Fair Labour Association and Deniz Austin from UEBT also provided updates on their projects fitting into the theme. 🌱 Mrs. Lien from Vietnam Pepper and Spice Association emphasized the importance of the collaboration among SSI, VPSA, European Spice Association (ESA), and The American Spice Trade Association, reflected on the success of the multi-stakeholder #pepper sustainability project delivered in Vietnam, and touched on potential GAP training initiatives and a pesticide MRL monitoring program. 🌱Patrick Barthelemy, representing Sustainable Spices Initiative-Indonesia, shared the progress made in ’23 and outlined plans for ’24 and beyond for this key origin. Bhavik Desai introduced NSSP India, its industry convening role, and field-level activities in ‘23, along with upcoming activities in ‘24.   The official program concluded with a Gala Dinner at the Városliget Café in the heart of #Budapest, attended by over 60 participants, who really enjoyed the evening.   We extend our gratitude to all participants, guests, speakers and donors for their invaluable contributions, which made this year’s event a great success.   Join SSI to be part of a #sustainable #community!   #SustainableSpices #SSIAssembly #Sustainability #LivingIncome #environment 

🎉 Day 2 of SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative GA (AM): More progress & ambitions   Building on the positive momentum from Day 1 General Assembly:   🌱 Matthew Ford, co-chair of the Standard Committee, kicked off Day 2 with an engaging demonstration of the #Sustainability Risk Assessment tool specifically designed for SSI members. He also provided a comprehensive update on the latest developments of the #DueDiligence legislation. 🌱SSI Secretariat members Jan Gilhuis and Jessica Leung together with chair Tamás Sarkadi shared the results of the ‘23 Sustainable Sourcing Progress Report, highlighting significant #achievements and main challenges faced for key crops. These sparked a lively discussion among members on how to achieve our goals. 🌱Bhavik Desai, Chair of the Membership Committee, reported strong growth in our membership while Dannely Carvajal Martinez, Chair of the Communications Committee, provided an overview of the platform’s communications strategy driving increased visibility, seamless information flow and improved #engagement. 🌱Mrs. Melinda Czegledi, from Control Union, outlined how third-party #certification and verification schemes can bolster sustainability strategies and drive #compliance.    Want to know more about SSI #Collaboration and the child labour project? Stay tuned for the next update!   #SustainableSpices #SSIAssembly #Sustainability #LivingIncome #Environment   

🌿 Day 1 of the SSI General Assembly (PM): New #insight & #target!   While more than 60 SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative members gained much insights and connection from Living Income session and guest speaker on day 1 morning, they continue to learn in the afternoon:   🌎 Environmental WG Progress – SSI Environmental WG Chair,Mario A. Gutiérrez Fajardo, together with Dannely Carvajal Martinez and James Loftus, presented the #progress made by the sub-groups in the past year. Four new environmental targets were introduced to advance SSI's #footprint #reduction progress, laying a solid foundation for 2030.   SSI members actively participated in the discussion to solidify the proposed targets, which were adopted by a majority vote.   🌎 Quantifying GHG Emission Reductions - Christiaan De Leeuw and Eduardo Pavão led an insightful session on methods to measure #greenhouse gas #emission reductions in spice production and invited interested members to join the research project.   🌎 Guest Speakers - Benjamin GALVAGNE of UBEES shared interesting session on how #beekeeping can be integrated into #RegenAg practices, increasing production yields, biodiversity and generate additional income stream for farmers. Rajmond Percze of Agroloop, shared their innovative approaches to industrialize #insect farming solutions for the Central European agribusinesses.   Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to forge a #sustainable future for the spice industry! #SustainableSpices #SSIAssembly #Sustainability #Environment

📢 Day 1 of the SSI General Assembly: A Day of #Insight and #Progress!   At the SSI- Sustainable Spices Initiative General Assembly in Budapest, over 60 SSI members came together to evaluate #sustainability progress in the #spice industry. Here’s a glimpse into the enriching sessions and discussions from the first day’s morning:   🔺 Living Income Session - Led by Living Income WG Chair Renée van den Elsen, we delved into the current Living Income WG Roadmap and benchmark analysis. We gained insights from two income assessment projects for chili (ITC Limited) and turmeric (Nedspice & Fuchs) farmers in India, the former supported by the IDH India team. Additionally, we explored living income from a procurement strategy perspective with Mark Birch from IDH.   Closing this dynamic session, Ian Brabbin from Yogi and Nuwan Delage from VERGER also shared their experience and learnings from their regenerative and income enhancement #collaboration project in Sri Lanka.   🔺 Guest Speaker: Jessica Joubert from the SAI Platform gave SSI members a glance into the #Regenerative Together Assessment Tool, demonstrating how the SAI Platform can support organizations with effective tools and relevant knowledge.   Stay tuned for more updates for day 1 of the insightful SSI General Assembly! 🌱 #SustainableSpices #SSIAssembly #Sustainability #LivingIncome #environment