8 1 3i-IBD EcoSocial Guidelines - 6th Ed

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM

THE IBD PROGRAM FOR FAIR RELATIONS IN TRADING SOCIALLY AND ENVIRONMENTALLY CERTIFIED PRODUCTS

6th Edition - 2009

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM Doc. 8.1.3i

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM – 6th Edition - 2009

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INDEX

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM ........................................................................4

INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................4

PART I – HOW IT WORKS ........................................................................................................5

1. CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONING ...............................................................5

1.1. Scope................................................................................................................................5

1.2. Certifiable Enterprises......................................................................................................5

1.3. Characteristics..................................................................................................................6

1.4. Functioning ......................................................................................................................7

1.5. Certifying the chain of custody........................................................................................8

1.5.1. Applicability ....................................................................................................................8

1.5.2. Control of requirements along the chain of custody ........................................................8

1.5.3. Subcontracted processing.................................................................................................8

1.6. IBD EcoSocial certified labelling ....................................................................................9

1.6.1. References to certification on advertising material..........................................................9

1.6.2. Use of the IBD EcoSocial Seal ........................................................................................9

1.6.3. EcoSocial Certificate for multi-ingredient agricultural products...................................11

1.6.4. EcoSocial Fair Trade Certification for non-agricultural products .................................11

2. DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA.......................................................................................11

2.1. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA – FAIR TRADE .....................................11

2.1.1. Healthy commercial relationships..................................................................................11

2.1.2. Fair Trade practice .........................................................................................................12

2.2. PROGRAM FOR COMPANIES WITH CONTRACTED WORKERS .......................14

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM Doc. 8.1.3i


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2.2.1. Human and social development criteria.........................................................................14

2.2.2. Criteria for Environmental Development.......................................................................18

2.3. PROGRAM FOR SMALLHOLDER PRODUCTION UNITS.....................................22

2.3.1. Human and social development criteria.........................................................................22

2.3.2. Criteria for Environmental Development.......................................................................27

2.4. PROGRAM FOR TRADERS........................................................................................31

APPENDIX I - CONTEXT.........................................................................................................34

APPENDIX II - THE ECOSOCIAL SEAL AND THE MAIN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENTS.............................................................................................37

APPENDIX III - COMPARING ECOSOCIAL TO CORRELATED NORMS: ISO, OSHAS, BS, SA. .......................................................................................................................................42

APPENDIX IV - GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS USED IN IBD ECOSOCIAL GUIDELINES . : .............................................................. 54

APPENDIX V – BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES .........................................................55

ANNEX I - INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND CO-RELATED BRAZILIAN LEGISLATION ..........................................................................................................................56

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM – PART II – DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA


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IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

Despite the rules and guidelines currently used in IBD’s institutional work, the planet’s present social and environmental context suggests the adoption of more specific certification tools for auditing social and environmental issues on certified companies, farms and grower groups. Besides, considering the fact that IBD is a Brazilian certification body and that the greatest part of its clients are located in this country, which is considered one of the priority targets for commercial relationships based on Fair Trade principles, IBD decided to also incorporate evaluation criteria related to commercial relationships. Thus, IBD EcoSocial Certification System aims for auditing companies, farms and groups through criteria of human, social, environmental and economic development. In order to be certified, enterprises must meet all minimum criteria listed in this rule, as well as at least two criteria of progress regarding human and social, and two related to environmental adevelopment during the year of certification. Creating the EcoSocial seal, IBD intends to highlight the social and environmental positive externalities produced by certified companies and farms, valuing the various initiatives and the cultural diversity existing in Brazil, as well as allowing the participation of enterprises of a wide range of social and economic profiles through the possibility of “continuous improvement”. On the whole, the EcoSocial seal constitutes a tool for implementing, locally, the principles, objectives and goals indicated worldwide as fundamental for the construction of a development model which is more sustainable in social, economical, political and environmental aspects, bearing within the challenge proposed by BRANDÃO (1995, p.16):

This is not about the re-creation of methods, or re-thinking concepts that will only improve the

same logic of relationships between humans and nature and between people themselves. What

matters is to alter the very essence of such structure of knowledge, along with a structure of values,

in every way and dimension, so that it becomes possible to think and establish principles for

relationships of another order.

Thus, being IBD EcoSocial certifified is a guarantee that the enterprises are committed to processes that aim for sustainable development, meeting the demands of conscious and attentive consumers, whose number is increasing in all countries. Even more, it assures compliance with the legal requirements of a great part of the organizations that rule and control the international trade. So another advantage of IBD EcoSocial certification is the access to new market possibilities.



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PART I - HOW IT WORKS 1. CHARACTERISTICS AND FUNCTIONING

1.1. Scope

IBD EcoSocial Certification can be granted complementing Organic (IBD/IFOAM, NOP, JAS, ECC) and Demeter Certification.

1.1.1. SCOPE MINIMAL REQUIREMENTS LABELING

IBD EcoSocial 1) Comply with National Labour, Sanitary and Environmental Laws:

2) Comply with minimum criteria of economic development – Fair Trade.

3) Executing at least two social and two environmental programs, aiming for the continuous improvement of the enterprises’ social and environmental quality standard.

The use of the seal on the product or marketing material is allowed as foreseen in the contract with IBD.

1.1.2. Under exceptional conditions, to be evaluated by IBD, the applicant to EcoSocial may concentrate efforts / resources on a single environmental or social program if its impact is of recognized contextual relevance.

1.1.3. Enterprises that produce and/or commercialize products with IBD EcoSocial certification and non-EcoSocial must implement strict segregation measures, necessary to prevent any risk of commingling products of different classifications.

1.2. Certifiable Enterprises

The following enterprises can be certified within the scope mentioned above: • Agricultural Production and Wild Crop Harvest • Grower Groups • Industries; • Traders; • Shops, restaurants and other commercial operations if organic certified. • Contractor services



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1.3. Characteristics

1.3.1. The EcoSocial mark is a registered property of IBD-Certifications.

1.3.2. The use of the IBD EcoSocial seal depends on a contract signed between the enterprise and IBD Certifications, after inspection by an inspector authorized by the certifier and evaluation of the inspection report.

1.3.3. This seal assures the consumer that producers and companies certified under this system work from production to trading respecting economic development criteria based on Fair Trade principles, as well as ecologic, human and social development criteria as established in these guidelines.

1.3.4. Operations are evaluated starting from minimum criteria – which enclose aspects concerning environment conservation, labour and sanitary legislation and health and safety at work covered by national laws, as well as by international norms and agreements, especially ILO (International Labour Organization) conventions. Some criteria as considered critical and stop the client in starting and staying in the certification process:

a) Producers or companies who do use practices that are incompatible with these norms, such as handling food in an inadequate way regarding food safety, forced labour, child labour, discriminatory or abusive practices, or aggressions to the environment such as de-foresting and OGM use.

b) IBD will decide how grave are the cases mentioned in the previous item and if a certification process will be continued.

1.3.5. EcoSocial certification understands that commercial relationship practices within Fair Trade principles - item 2.1. In this norm – are minimum criteria, that is, they are required from all certified operations.

1.3.6. Besides complying with minimum criteria, operations in the certification process must carry out at least two social and two environmental programs per year – progress criteria– within the continuous improvement concept or item 1.1.2..

1.3.7. Continuous improvement means that annual inspections are able to verify progress in the indicators used to monitor the ongoing social and environmental programs.



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1.4. Functioning

1.4.1. In order to be IBD EcoSocial certified, operations need to file a specific application at IBD.

1.4.2. Definition of the Starting Point: the first step in EcoSocial certification is a social&environmental assessment of the operation, identifying the main social and environmental aspects existing in the enterprise, as well as production and trading aspects that are relevant to justify Fair Trade.

a) This assessment can be carried out by the applicant company itself or by a subcontracted third party. It is necessary to submit a report of this procedure – Point Zero Report – to IBD for approval. This document will be used in future inspections to evaluate the progress of social&ecological and fair trade actions.

b) The Point Zero Report must be made in accordance with the Term of Reference issued by IBD.

1.4.3. When IBD has approved the Application and the Investigation Report, the company or farm shall be inspected by a professional appointed by the certifier, for onsite checking of the reality presented in the document and certification of the minimum criteria required by this norm.

1.4.4. During the same inspection, the enterprise shall present IBD a description of the social and environmental programs to be carried out as progress criteria along the certification year. This report shall be submitted in written form to the Managing Commission – formed by operation leader(s) and collaborators – and shall describe the process of decision-making that elected the chosen programs as priorities.

a) Choosing and/or substituting programs will be carried out by indirect representation, by the Managing Commission –preferably, by a participative process in the presence of all or at least 50% of the people directly involved with the enterprise, a process which has to be submitted to IBD approval.

b) Representatives can be appointed or elected; this process must be approved by IBD.

1.4.5. Each selected program shall be presented with clear indicators and goals, as to allow its accompaniment and evaluation, according to the following example

Program for improving the workers’ education

ITEM CURRENT SITUATION (indicator)

GOAL ACTION CARRIED OUT BY

WHEN

Illiteracy 10% of the field workers

Eradication in the next 03 years

Provide transport / facilities / instructors

Company/Syndicate/Secr. of Education

Between harvests (March to August)



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1.4.6. Whenever deeming necessary, an operator can put a program on hold. The technical justification shall be discussed with IBD, and the program will need to be immediately replaced by another one, selected by the criterion of the deviation degree of the analyzed parameters from the ideal established in the legislation and the arguments presented in the Investigation Point Zero Report.

1.4.7. When the minimum criteria are fulfilled and the progress criteria are defined, the operation becomes IBD EcoSocial certified and is from then on annually monitored by the certifier, with specific inspection procedures.

1.5. Certifying the chain of custody

1.5.1. Applicability

a) IBD EcoSocial Seal can be used as much by companies commercializing products as by those offering services (hotels, inns and tourism agencies), as long as the developed actions are compliant with the principles defined in the specific chapters of this norm.

b) For those companies wishing to commercialize products with the EcoSocial Seal, item 1.5.2 is applicable as follows:

1.5.2. Control of requirements along the chain of custody

a) IBD EcoSocial Seal can be associated to any part (producer or company) of a chain of custody; however

b) IBD EcoSocial Seal can only be associated to the final product(s) of a chain of custody if all components of this chain are compliant with this norm or;

c) In products sold by non EcoSocial certified processing units if suppliers are EcoSocial certified. In this case, specific labelling guidelines described on item 1.6.2 must be followed;

d) In the situation described on item c, the processing unit must be at least in compliance with the pertinent laws (sanitary, environmental and labour );

e) In any case, a Traceability plan will be required and must be possible to producers or companies guarantee EcoSocial certified products against cross contamination with non EcoSocial certified products;

1.5.3. Subcontracted processing

a) When processing is subcontracted (outsourced) for processing or other services, the outsourced company shall be at least on the same level of compliance with the pertinent laws (sanitary, environmental and labour) as the contracting company; or



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b) Once it has fulfilled the minimum criteria for being accepted into the program, the outsourced company shall submit to IBD the adequacy programs necessary to reach that level, according to item 1.4

c) The inspection of subcontracted unit will be carried out by IBD or a local certifier approved by IBD to perform EcoSocial Inspections as part of the certification of originally certified company;

d) A processing company ( here called Group Coordinator - GC) may allow third companies to process EcoSocial products for a period of maximum 8 months without previous inspection by IBD or a local certifier approved by IBD to perform EcoSocial Inspections;

e) The GC will be responsible for the operation in the third processor receiving EcoSocial products from him;

f) Documentation related to purchase, traceability, stocks, sales and graphic arts activities of the third party processor with EcoSocial products will be monitored, permanently updated and maintained by the GC.

g) Before the GC starts third party operations, a written authorization must be obtained from IBD after relevant information about the third party processor has been forwarded for evaluation;

h) In the occasion described in item “g” third party inspection date will be arranged in a period not far from 4 months from the authorization date;

1.6. IBD EcoSocial certified labelling

1.6.1. References to certification on advertising material

a) The IBD EcoSocial Seal can be used on any advertising material as long as this is directly associated to the products or services offered by the company;

b) Any advertising material shall be submitted to IBD for approval previously to its use;

c) The use of the IBD EcoSocial Seal on advertising material is not allowed before the first certificate of program compliance has been issued.

1.6.2. Use of the IBD EcoSocial Seal

a) The IBD EcoSocial Seal can only be associated to the final product of a chain of custody if all components of that chain are complaint with this norm; or

b) By processing units certified to traceability authorized for use of EcoSocial seal whose suppliers are in conformity with EcoSocial program.

c) When the final product is composed exclusively, regarding its agricultural ingredients, of raw materials from production chains in which all participants are complaints with this norm; or



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d) When the final product is composed of at least 95% ingredients with IBD EcoSocial status or similar, and the remaining 5% can be organic or conventional depending on the organic standard the product is certified to.

e) Regarding the 95% ingredients, “similar ingredients” are products certified to organic and Fair Trade standards.

f) There are special labelling conditions for products that include a minimum of 50% to 95% of certified raw materials in their composition. These products’ labels can bear the expression “made with EcoSocial ingredients” with use of the Ecosocial seal on the main panel, clearly indicating the IBD certified products, with the sane letters (type, colour, size) the other indications on the list, besides the other conditions set in the previous items, observing the following:

• the same product shall not be used in both its certified and non-certified forms;

• the use of Ecosocial seal will be restricted to the certified raw materials in a clear and exclusive way, not allowing interpretation mistakes in relation to the final product certification and the other rew materials.

g) Products with under 50% certified ingredients can not use the name “EcoSocial” or similar nor the “EcoSocial” seal on the labels. Only the expression “IBD EcoSocial certified product” can be used referring to certified ingredients.

h) All labels and packages of IBD certified products shall be submitted to IBD’s approval previously to their exposition to the public, for commercialization or just for test, as they must:

• Comply with laws in force at the country where the product will be consumed, regarding mandatory information that must be displayed on packages.

• Clearly print the name and address of the people legally responsible for the product, as well as the way of receiving additional information and the customer service contact for comments, suggestions and complaints.

• Clearly list, in order of composition percentage, all IBD certified products, all non-certified ingredients, all additives or processing aids used, as well as the methods used for the processing of the food in question;

• For calculating the composition percentage of an ingredient, divide its relative weight in the composition by the net weight of the final product excluding water and salt. If necessary, the numbers can be rounded down to the next lower percentage number.

• Identify herbs and / or spices in a general manner when these constitute les than 2% of the composition.

• Display the name “EcoSocial” and similar ones, as well as the declaration of certified ingredient percentage, on the label, in letters that do not exceed half the height of the largest letter printed on the label.



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• Inform, next to the IBD Seal, the code of the farm, association or company.

1.6.3. EcoSocial Certificate for multi-ingredient agricultural products

SEAL CATEGORY REQUIREMENTS LABELLING

RESTRICTIONS

IBD EcoSocial for Certified Companies

95% ingredients are from EcoSocial origin or similar.

EcoSocial certification seal can be used on the label front

or back panel

Made with EcoSocial product

Between 95% and 50% ingredients must be from IBD EcoSocial certified

origin.

It can be used on front or back panel with the seal and the expression - “made with EcoSocial ingredients”

Only ingredient indication

Under 50% ingredients must be from IBD EcoSocial

certified origin.

The certification seal may neither be used on the front

panel nor in the list of ingredients.

Only the expression “IBD EcoSocial certified product” can be displayed next to the

certified ingredients.

1.6.4. EcoSocial Fair Trade Certification for non-agricultural products

For non-agricultural products – cosmetics, textiles and others – the applicable logic is the same of item 1.6.3.PART II – DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA

2. DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA

2.1. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA – FAIR TRADE

2.1.1. Healthy commercial relationships

Practicing Fair Trade is an international initiative pursuing better conditions of human, social and economic development for grower groups and wage-earning workers in developing countries. The direct beneficiaries of this practice are:

a) Grower Groups: as long as organized in legally constituted groups – associations, cooperatives, other forms of congregation. These organizations shall be capable of contributing for the economic, environmental, human and social development of their members and communities, and shall be managed in a democratic and participative way.



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b) Contracted workers: preferably organized in legally constituted groups – normally syndicates – and as long as the company they work for is prepared to promote the workers’ development and distribute the income generated from Fair Trade.

2.1.2. Fair Trade practice

“Fair Trade” means that there is a reliable relationship between the buyer and the seller, commercial agreements are settled on long-term basis, price negotiations are open and that the premium achieved with this initiative is invested into the social and environmental development of the grower groups or the wage-earning workers. In EcoSocial certification, it is expected that, taking part in Fair Trade, enterprises are enabled to improve social and working conditions of contracted workers or grower groups involved with the operations, as well as to their environmental quality, pursuing impact minimization and environment conservation. EcoSocial brings innovations to the traditional Fair Trade concept. With Ecosocial the certifier does not establish a minimum price neither the premium value. The product price must be bound to production costs and to market negotiations, the later, being done under ethical principles, guarnteeng clarity, transparency and benefits to the producers. The premium value is determined by the needs of investment in the Social and Environmental Development Programs, according to the goals established by the producers and approved by the certifier. Another differing point to other Fair Trade Programs is that EcoSocial is applicable to any organic product and not only to those already with minimum price setting. With the progress of the commercial relationships preconized by EcoSocial System, it is expected that human beings involved with the process will also develop, that is, become aware of the social, environmental and economic questions surrounding them and are capable of taking a proactive stand to improve their own and their fellows’ lives with autonomy and freedom. To be IBD EcoSocial certified, besides the environmental, human and social development criteria prescribed in this norm, operators need to prove that Fair Trade principles and practice are present in their commercial relationships. Such is proved by fulfilling the minimum criteria for economic development, listed below.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – FAIR TRADE

FOR SMALLHOLDER GROUPS AND COMPANIES WITH CONTRACTED WORKERS

Minimum criteria Checking points

a) The corporative social&environmental

• The board of directors or leadership incorporates the concepts of Fair Trade and



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responsibility is explicit in the company’s or grower group’s mission and policies.

social&environmental development into the company’s or the group’s business plans.

• The board of directors or leadership and the collaborators / associates meet to discuss the benefits of Fair Trade and social&environmental projects carried out by the enterprise – meeting minutes, results of discussions etc.

b) The enterprise shall indicate the names of two people to represent EcoSocial in the operation: one from the board of directors or leadership and one from the collaborators / associates. These persons will be the connections between the operation and IBD.

Submit a list with these names, indicating the way they have been chosen for this task – appointment or election. In the case of appointment, the enterprise needs to submit the letter that formalizes the appointment, and in the case of election, the election’s minutes.

c) The employer or the cooperative’s or association’s board of directors or leadership shall prove that the premium paid for the products will be invested into the workers’ / growers’ social, human and economic development, as well as the enterprise’s environmental development.

• All purchase and sale contracts shall be settled in written form, including information that show the market price and the premium of the Fair Trade product. IBD’s acceptance of the premium will be conditioned to the next item.

• Besides, the enterprise shall submit an Investment Plan for this premium – reward – into the operation’s social, human and environmental development, along the certification year, demonstrating this plan is congruent with the fulfilment of the minimum criteria and the ongoing progress criteria.

• The enterprise shall prove that contracted workers or smallholders take part in defining the plan for using the reward.

• The reward (overprice) can not be used to cover the enterprise’s current costs.

d) A quality management system, effective and adequate for the enterprise’ size and nature, shall be implemented during the first year of certification.

• Elaboration of quality plans and procedures. • Proof of the functioning of such plans and procedures.



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2.2. PROGRAM FOR COMPANIES WITH CONTRACTED WORKERS

2.2.1. Human and social development criteria

It is desirable that companies invest into their workers’ social development and the improvement of their working conditions, ensuring access to basic labour rights and granting those social benefits which are necessary for the well being of the individual and the community. Companies need to ensure that workers take part in the decision-taking processes concerning EcoSocial – as in the definition of social&environmental progress criteria in questions concerning Healthy Trade – favouring the involved persons’ learning and human development. The minimum criteria for human and social development are related more directly to working conditions, whereas the progress criteria also pursue the improvement of the workers’ conditions of life, progressing on questions such as habitation, nutrition, education, family health, amongst others. It is worth noting that, in order to be certified, the enterprise shall fulfil all minimum criteria and run programs pursuing the fulfilment of at least two progress criteria concerning human and social development.

HUMAN AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT

FOR COMPANIES WITH CONTRACTED WORK

AGRICULTURE AND WILD CROP FARMS AND INDUSTRIES


a) The company shall comply with the current labour law or (item b).

Number of employees registered according to current labour laws; payroll overhead receipts; declaration from the local Labour Ministry representative attesting there are no records of breaking the labour law or related lawsuits against the company (“nada consta”); availability of transport for workers; availability of individual protection equipment (with approval certificate by the Labour Ministry); underage workers, housing conditions etc.

b) The company shall run a program to re-establish compliance with the current labour law.

Number of seasonal workers legally registered / harvest season; payment of payroll overhead debts (FGTS - severance pay indemnity fund, INSS – social security taxes etc.)/year; adjustment of safety equipment etc.



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c) The company shall comply with work safety norms related to the specific activity, or item “e”.

Work accidents records, existence (and use) of individual protection equipment (with approval certificate by the Labour Ministry); safety training ; transport conditions; acting of the Internal Commission for the Prevention of Accidents; defined and divulged emergency procedures etc.

d) The company shall run a program to enhance the worker’s conditions of work salubrity or item “e”.

• Existence of proper equipment (concerning ergonomics); workweek; environment conditions (heat, humidity, noise, dust etc.); availability of sanitary equipments and/or shelters for lunchtime or occurrences of storms;

• There must be rules and procedures for sick leave.

e) The company shall develop a program for adjustment to current labour law.

Operating program.

f) All workers shall have access to drinking water and clean sanitary facilities.

Existence of drinking water and clean sanitary facilities accessible to all workers.

g) The property/company shall allow the local workers’ syndicate to function.

Number of affiliated workers; existence of complaints at the syndicate (interview with the syndicate); existence of lawsuits by the syndicate against the producer/company.

h) The company shall make sure that no form of discrimination can occur within work, along the whole production. Particularly those tasks that are more difficult or potentially vulnerable cannot be systematically given to the same group within the list of employees, upon distinctions by the criteria of ethnic origin, social origin, physical handicaps, gender, or any other form of discrimination.

Existence of discriminatory company policy or coercive practices such as: • Use of physical or mental punishments or verbal abuse.

• Sexual harassment • Dismissal or discrimination of employees who use any procedure of complaints.

• Any form of discrimination.

i) Any form of child labour is prohibited.

Presence of children working at the enterprise.

j) Any form of forced labour is prohibited.

Presence of people working under inadequate conditions and without receiving payment for the work they carry out.

k) During the first year of certification, the workers’ wages must be equal or

Compliance with the Labour Law regarding values of salaries/wages.



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above the regional average or the minimum determined for each working class.





a) The company shall have an appropriate system of human resources management favouring the workers’ training and development, as well as the existence of a working environment that favours the individual and collective well-being.

Existence of programs for human qualification and development; actions for the improvement of the working environment and interrelationships, amongst others;

b) Within one year of certification, the company shall join the Collective Work Agreement, if there is one.

• Checking if the is a Collective Work Agreement it the enterprise’s region;

• Checking if the company joined the agreement or not.

c) The employer or the company’s board of directors provided information to all involved parts about the EcoSocial programs, besides encouraging the collective participation in carrying out the topic-related projects and decisions.

Meeting minutes; level of commitment by the different involved parts; level of the involved parts’ understanding of concepts and processes related to EcoSocial.

d) The company shall have a Profit Sharing Program.

Existence of programs of participation by proportion, work goals etc.

e) The company shall be in charge of directly contracting all seasonal workers instead of outsourcing the contractor.

Existence of contracts between the company and the seasonal workers.

f) The company shall run a program for improving the workers’ education.

Existence of programs for illiteracy eradication, education complementation (Basic / Comprehensive); technical capacitating, transport to school; scholarships for employees; offer of courses for the employees etc.



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g) The company shall run a program for improving the workers’ living conditions (in the case of farm villages).

Availability of drinking water; sanitation; housing conditions; electric power availability etc

h) The company shall run a program for improving workers’ nutrition conditions.

Availability of refectory/meals; alimentary re-education program; implementing community farming on fallow areas; implementation of home vegetable gardens; distribution of basic-needs grocery packages etc

i) The company shall run a program for improving all workers’ health conditions.

Availability of ambulatory medical care; health care plan covering medical consultations, exams and hospital internments; dental care plan; financial assistance for purchasing glasses; programs for reducing alcoholism and tobaccoism levels.

j) The company shall run a program for assisting working women.

Availability of day care, redirecting work for pregnant women, medical care for pregnant women, guidance and support for breastfeeding etc.

k) The company shall run a program for generating benefits for the workers’ families.

Availability of day care; hospital care, school; medical care plan covering medical consultations, exams and hospital internments; dental care plan; financial assistance for purchasing glasses and school supplies; transport to school etc.

l) The company shall run a program for extending those benefits generated by other programs also to seasonal workers.

Generated benefits; number of seasonal workers assisted.

m) The company shall run a program for qualifying and training its human resources.

Existence of courses and training; number of employees qualified during the assessed period.

n) The company shall run a program for supporting aged people.

Medical care for aged people; guidance and support regarding retirement; transport, nutrition, housing etc.

o) Other program with social relevance suggested by the company.

Operating program.



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2.2.2. Criteria for Environmental Development

It is expected that companies promote environmental conservation and ecological management of natural resources – soil, water, air, animal life and vegetation – as principles of the enterprise’s management. For enterprises also certified to IBD Organic Guidelines, the use of inputs must be compliant with those rules. The use of Genetically Modified Organisms – GMOs – is forbidden. It is expected that certified companies pursue the integration of their production way to the requirements of environmental balance of the surroundings of the enterprise, seeking the harmonization of economic and environmental development. The minimum criteria consist of compliance with the national environmental laws and, whereas the progress criteria pursue actions for minimizing the environmental impact caused by the enterprise and promoting the environmental conservation. It is worth noting that, in order to be certified, the enterprise shall fulfil all minimum criteria and run programs pursuing the fulfilment of at least two progress criteria concerning environmental development.

ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT


AGRICULTURE AND WILD CROP FARMS


a) The company shall be in compliance with the current environmental law, concerning Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs) and Legal Reserve (LR) or (item c).

Existence and size of PPA and LRs.

b) The use of natural resources (raw material and/or energy resources) shall be allowed by official inspection organizations or (item c).

• Environmental licenses for water use (dam, capture, draining etc); deforesting within the area percentage allowed by law for the specific region, intervention into PPAs (e.g. constructing or repairing a dam);

• - Governmental licenses for using dammed or captured water; cutting & using wood or any other material from wild crop harvesting; license from the National Department of Mineral Production for exploring mineral



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resources (peat, limestone etc.); • - Non existence of any unresolved environmental crime (using of wetland areas etc.) or Environmental Infraction Act.

c) The company shall run a program for adjusting to law determinations.

Total area (PPA and LR) recovered /year; application for governmental licenses; environmental licensing

d) The agricultural management shall allow conservation of the soil structure and fertility.

Presence/absence of erosion; presence/absence of contour planting, soil covering, soil structure; periodic fertility monitoring by analysis; etc

e) The company will only use fire if such is the only viable option, if all due measures of environmental protection have been taken, and above all if this procedure has been allowed by the due environmental government organization.

Existence of a Management Plan for Fire Using – area; period; spread; purpose; licence from the due environmental government organization.

f) The company does neither grow nor handle any GMO products.

Growing Genetic Modified Organisms on the farm or using inputs that are or contain GMOs.

INDUSTRIES:

i) The company shall be regularized by the official inspection organizations.

Environmental Permit; most recent environmental inspection findings.

j) The company shall run a program for adjusting to law determinations

Application for environmental license or permit;




Progress criteria Checking points

a) The farm shall run a program for optimizing the use of energy

Operating program



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resources (reduction of losses in the system) and reducing the use of non-renewable energy sources.

b) Disposal and/or treatment of solid residues from the production system shall be compliant with the current legislation and allowed by the competent governmental agency whenever applicable;

Adequate place for disposal of domestic waste; segregation of hazardous residues (vessels/packages of pesticides, batteries);

c) The farm shall run a solid residues management program, reducing the waste of subproducts from its activity, as well as promoting adequate treatment and final disposal for each kind of residue.

Operating program

d) Disposal and/or treatment of liquid effluents from the production system shall be compliant with the current legislation and allowed by the competent governmental agency whenever applicable;

Environmental license for effluent management; operational conditions of the effluent treatment station; decantation / aeration tanks, disposal patios, pollution level at the receiving watercourses; contamination of the subsoil water by percolation; containing measures on patios for equipment keeping, in order to prevent soil and/or water contamination with oil and fuels.

e) The farm shall run a program for liquid effluent management.

Application for Environmental License; Reduction of water and soil pollution levels.

f) The farm shall run a program for optimizing the use of water resources (reducing losses in the system) and reducing the demand.

Frequency of equipment keeping measures; control of flow; control of demand for water use on the soil

g) The farm shall run a program for improving soil management and conservation of soil structure and fertility.

Recovering of eroded areas; recovering of level planting; carrying out practices for soil structure and fertility recovering.

h) The farm shall run a program for increasing biodiversity.

Presence/absence of plant barriers; use of alternate/combined crops; crop rotation; agroforestry, existence of biodiversity spots, existence of forest corridors, increase of Legal Reserve area etc.

i) The farm shall run or take part of a Operating program



21

program for developing genetic material appropriate to organic management and forming seed banks (individually or in community)

j) The company shall monitor the eventual use of GMOs at neighbouring farms and, wherever necessary, take measures to prevent contamination.

Existence of documents reporting GMOs at neighbours; vegetal barriers; distance of crops etc.

INDUSTRIES:

l) The use of water resources (capture and disposal) shall be regularized by the official inspection organizations.

Existence of Water Resources Management Plan; Governmental license for using dammed or captured water; Environmental License for effluent management; operational conditions of effluent treatment stations, decantation / aeration tanks, disposal patios etc.

m) The company shall run a program for water resources management in compliance with the law.

Operating Plan of Water Resources Management

o) Disposal and/or treatment of solid residues from the production system shall be compliant with the current legislation and allowed by the competent governmental agency whenever applicable;

Existence of adequate place for disposal; segregation of hazardous residues (vessels/packages of chemicals, oils and grease, amongst others).

p) The company shall run a program for solid residues management in compliance with the law.

Operating Plan of Solid Residue Management

q) The company shall run a gas effluent management plan, duly licensed by the competent governmental agency whenever applicable.

Environmental License for effluent management; operational conditions of the treatment station, environmental conditions of the air.

r) The company shall run a program for managing gas effluents in compliance with the law.

Operating Plan of Gas Effluent Management

s) The use of energy resources shall be regularized by the official inspection organizations.

License for the company or its supplier for cutting or using wood or any other material from wild crop harvesting; license from the National Department of Mineral Production for any exploration of mineral resources (peat or



22

charcoal).

t) The company shall run a program for regularizing the use of energy resources in compliance with the law.

Operating program

u) Another environmental program suggested by the company.

Operating program

2.3. PROGRAM FOR GROWER GROUP PRODUCTION UNITS

2.3.1. Human and social development criteria

It is desirable that grower groups organize themselves in a collective juridical structure – association or cooperative – and that this is an instrument for its members’ economic, human and social development, besides working for the harmonization of production and with the environmental development of the enterprises. The growers’ organization shall have a structure that allows access to information and the social participation of the associates, without any kind of discrimination concerning association and participation. The minimum criteria for human and social development are related more directly to working conditions, whereas the progress criteria also pursue the improvement of the group’s conditions of life, progressing on questions such as habitation, nutrition, education, family health, amongst others. It is worth noting that, in order to be certified, the enterprise shall fulfil all minimum criteria and run programs pursuing the fulfilment of at least two progress criteria concerning human and social development.


FOR SMALLHOLDER GROUPS



a) The group shall have a collective juridical structure - Association or Cooperative – with Statutes and other documents which rule this structure’s

Documents that legalize the organization: CNPJ; Statutes; others.



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functioning or (item c).

b) The group must function on a democratic basis or (item c).

• Existence of at least one General Assembly per year;

• Voting system, open accounting system; • Meeting minutes; • Existence of an Internal Control System and/or a Fiscal Council.

c) The group shall run a program for adjusting to the established in items “a” and “b”.

Identified weaknesses and elaborated / carried out programs.

d) At least 60% of the growers shall be assisted by a Technical and Organizational Support System1 .

• yearly numbers of visits to producers; • yearly numbers of meetings; • distributed technical material; • reports of visits to producers etc.

e) The group shall run a program to re-establish compliance with the current labour law.

Number of seasonal workers legally registered / harvest season; payment of payroll overhead debts (FGTS - severance pay indemnity fund, INSS – social security taxes etc.)/year; adjustment of safety equipment etc.

f) The group/company shall run a program for improving the growers´ work safety conditions or item “h”.

Work accidents records, existence (and use) of individual protection equipment (with approval certificate by the Labour Ministry); safety training ; transport conditions; acting of the Internal Commission for the Prevention of Accidents; defined and divulged emergency procedures etc.

g) The group/company shall run a program for improving the growers´ work salubrity conditions, or item “h”.

• Existence of appropriate equipments (ergonometrics); workweek; environment conditions (heat, humidity, noise, dust etc.); availability of sanitary equipments and/or shelters for lunchtime or occurrences of storms;

• There must be rules and procedures for sick leave.

h) The company shall develop a program Operating program.

1 Technical support is defined as services carried out by one or more technicians, qualified for organic agriculture and specialized in the crops in question, capable of

ensuring the growers’ commitment and providing them consultancy regarding the production as a whole (soil preparation, organic fertilization, sowing, monitoring of

the crop development, harvest, post-harvest technology).

The technician(s) shall regularly visit the production region and provide the growers with appropriate instructions, as well as assure them assistance throughout the

production and harvest season. The whole of these visits shall be recorded (visit reports);



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for adjustment to current law.

i) The group shall make sure that no form of discrimination can occur within the body of associates / cooperative members, along the whole production, particularly concerning ethnic origin, social origin, physical handicaps, gender, or any other form of discrimination

Existence of discriminatory company policy or coercive practices such as: • Use of physical or mental punishments or verbal abuse.

• Sexual harassment • Dismissal or discrimination of employees who use any procedure of complaints.

• Any form of discrimination.

j) Any form of child labour (under the age of 16) that undermines the child’s physical or intellectual development is prohibited, in accordance with the legislation in force. Taking into account peculiar aspects of the different cultures and the specific question of family working, it must be considered that children can carry out agricultural, handling or handcraft work, as long as:

• This work is carried out exclusively within the family or tribe environment and is regularly and sufficiently educated and nurtured in both quality and quantity aspects (without signs of hunger, deficiencies, malnutrition, and exhaustion). Traditionally, smallholders’ children help their parents, brothers and farm staff in much diverse kinds of field activities, such as animal care, crops monitoring, selection and screening of fruits and cereals, without hindering their development and fostering their integration to the culture, manners and customs of their families or groups (learning of rituals in connection with that varied work);

• The duration of the work and the physical and mental strength it requires shall fit the child’s actual development stage, excluding any activity that is painful, risky,

Presence of children working in the enterprise; evaluation of the conditions of life and work based on the arguments mentioned under item “j”.



25

polluting, toxic, potentially dangerous, anti-hygienic or degrading work considering physical and psychological health;

• Children go regularly to school during spare time or else are educated within traditional cultural apprenticeship within their family circle or tribal group.

k) Any form of forced labour is prohibited.

Presence of people working under inadequate conditions and without receiving payment for the work they carry out.

l) The group must define, regulate and record the way of distributing the income resulting from collective work.

Existence of documents such as an Internal Regulation or similar, individual contracts, collective work agreements or similar.





a) The group/company shall run a program for improving technical support to the growers.

Yearly numbers of visits to producers and meetings; distributed technical material etc.

b) The group/company shall run a program for improving the growers´ internal control system.

Yearly numbers of visits to producers and meetings; distributed technical material; reports of visits to producers etc.

c) The group shall always aim for its members’ to have an ample and conscientious social participation, promoting their access to qualification and fomenting their freedom and autonomy.

• Existence of qualification programs; • Existence of group dynamics aiming to enlarge their consciousness of their life and work conditions and social participation.

d) The group shall favour its members’ training and development, as well as the existence of a working environment that favours the individual and collective well-being

Existence of programs for human qualification and development; actions for the improvement of the working environment and interrelationships, amongst others;



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e) The enterprise’s leaders shall provide information to the members regarding EcoSocial programs, besides encouraging the collective participation in carrying out the topic-related projects and decisions.

Meeting minutes; level of commitment by the different involved parts; level of the involved parts’ understanding of concepts and processes related to EcoSocial.

f) The group shall run a program for improving the growers’ education.

Existence of programs for illiteracy eradication, education complementation (Basic / Comprehensive); technical capacitating, transport to school; scholarships for employees; offer of courses for the growers etc.

g) The group shall run a program for improving the growers´ housing conditions.

Availability of drinking water; sanitation; housing conditions; electric power availability etc.

h) The group shall run a program for improving workers’ nutrition conditions.

Availability of refectory/meals; alimentary re-education program; implementing community farming on fallow areas; implementation of home vegetable gardens; distribution of basic-needs grocery packages etc

i) The group shall run a program for improving all workers’ health conditions.

Availability of ambulatory medical care; health care plan covering medical consultations, exams and hospital internments; dental care plan; financial assistance for purchasing glasses; programs for reducing alcoholism and tobaccoism levels.

j) The group shall run a program for assisting working women.

Availability of day care, redirecting work for pregnant women, medical care for pregnant women, guidance and support for breastfeeding etc.

k) The group shall run a program for generating benefits for the members’ families.

Availability of day care; hospital care, school; medical care plan covering medical consultations, exams and hospital internments; dental care plan; financial assistance for purchasing glasses and school supplies; transport to school etc.

l) The group shall run a program for supporting aged people.

Medical care for aged people; guidance and support regarding retirement; transport, nutrition, housing etc.

m) Other program with social relevance suggested by the group.

Operating program.



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2.3.2. Criteria for Environmental Development

It is expected that smallholder groups promote environmental conservation and ecological management of natural resources – soil, water, air, animal life and vegetation – as principles of the enterprise’s management. The use of Genetically Modified Organisms – GMOs – is forbidden. It is expected that certified groups pursue the integration of their production way to the requirements of environmental balance of the surroundings of the enterprise, seeking the harmonization of economic and environmental development. The minimum criteria consist of compliance with the national environmental laws and compliance with those laws related to the use of pesticides, whereas the progress criteria pursue actions for minimizing the environmental impact caused by the enterprise and promoting the environmental conservation. It is worth noting that, in order to be certified, the enterprise shall fulfil all minimum criteria and run programs pursuing the fulfilment of at least two progress criteria concerning environmental development.





a) At least 60% of the group shall be in compliance with the current environmental law, concerning Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs) and Legal Reserve (LR) or (item c).

Existence and size of PPA and LRs.

b) At least 60% of the group shall have their use of natural resources (raw material and/or energy resources) allowed by official inspection organizations or (item c).

• Environmental licenses for water use (dam, capture, draining etc); deforesting within the area percentage allowed by law for the specific region, intervention into PPAs (e.g. constructing or repairing a dam);

• - Governmental licenses for using dammed or captured water; cutting & using wood or any other material from wild crop harvesting; license from the National



28

Department of Mineral Production for exploring mineral resources (peat, limestone etc.);

• - Non existence of any unresolved environmental crime (using of wetland areas etc.) or Environmental Infraction Act.

c) The group shall run a program for adjusting to law determinations.

Total area (PPA and LR) recovered /year; application for governmental licenses; environmental licensing

d) The agricultural management shall allow conservation of the soil structure and fertility, on at least 60% of the properties.

Presence/absence of erosion; presence/absence of contour planting, soil covering, soil structure; periodic fertility monitoring by analysis; etc

e) The company does neither grow nor handle any GMO products.

Growing Genetic Modified Organisms on the farm or using inputs that are or contain GMOs.

INDUSTRIES:

h) The company shall be regularized by the official inspection organizations.

Environmental Permit; most recent environmental inspection findings.

i) The company shall run a program for adjusting to law determinations

Application for environmental license or permit;





a) At least 60% of the farms shall run a program for optimizing the use of energy resources (reduction of losses in the system) and reducing the use of non-renewable energy sources.

Operating program

b) At least 60% of the farms shall run a program for optimizing the use of water resources (reducing losses in

Frequency of equipment keeping measures; control of flow; control of demand for water use on the soil



29

the system) and reducing the demand.

c) On at least 60% of the farms, disposal and/or treatment of solid residues from the production system shall be compliant with the current legislation and allowed by the competent governmental agency whenever applicable;

Adequate place for disposal of domestic waste; segregation of hazardous residues (vessels/packages of pesticides, batteries);

d) At least 60% of the farms shall run a solid residues management program, reducing the waste of subproducts from its activity, as well as promoting adequate treatment and final disposal for each kind of residue.

Operating program

e) Disposal and/or treatment of liquid effluents from the production system shall be compliant with the current legislation and allowed by the competent governmental agency whenever applicable;

Environmental license for effluent management; operational conditions of the effluent treatment station; decantation / aeration tanks, disposal patios, pollution level at the receiving watercourses; contamination of the subsoil water by percolation; containing measures on patios for equipment keeping, in order to prevent soil and/or water contamination with oil and fuels.

f) The group will only use fire if such is the only economically viable option, if all due measures of environmental protection have been taken, and above all if this procedure has been allowed by the due environmental government organization.

Existence of a Management Plan for Fire Using – area; period; spread; purpose; licence from the due environmental government organization.

g) The farms shall run a program for improving soil management and conservation of soil structure and fertility.

Recovering of eroded areas; recovering of level planting; carrying out practices for soil structure and fertility recovering.

h) The farm shall run a program for increasing biodiversity.

Presence/absence of plant barriers; use of alternate/combined crops; crop rotation; agroforestry, existence of biodiversity spots, existence of forest corridors, increase of Legal Reserve area etc.

i) The farm shall run or take part of a program for developing genetic material appropriate to organic

Operating program



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management and forming seed banks (individually or in community)

j) The group shall monitor the eventual use of GMOs at neighbouring farms and, wherever necessary, take measures to prevent contamination.

Existence of documents reporting GMOs at neighbours; vegetal barriers; distance of crops etc.

INDUSTRIES:

l) The use of water resources (capture and disposal) shall be regularized by the official inspection organizations.

Existence of Water Resources Management Plan; Governmental license for using dammed or captured water; Environmental License for effluent management; operational conditions of effluent treatment stations, decantation / aeration tanks, disposal patios etc.

m) The enterprise shall run a program for water resources management in compliance with the law.

Operating Plan of Water Resources Management

o) Disposal and/or treatment of solid residues from the production system shall be compliant with the current legislation and allowed by the competent governmental agency whenever applicable;

Existence of adequate place for disposal; segregation of hazardous residues (vessels/packages of chemicals, oils and grease, amongst others).

p) The enterprise shall run a program for solid residues management in compliance with the law.

Operating Plan of Solid Residue Management

q) The enterprise shall run a gas effluent management plan, duly licensed by the competent governmental agency whenever applicable.

Environmental License for effluent management; operational conditions of the treatment station, environmental conditions of the air.

s) The use of energy resources shall be regularized by the official inspection organizations.

License for the company or its supplier for cutting or using wood or any other material from wild crop harvesting; license from the National Department of Mineral Production for any exploration of mineral resources (peat or charcoal).

t) The enterprise shall run a program for regularizing the use of energy resources in compliance with the law.

Operating program

s) Another environmental program Operating program.



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suggested by the group.

2.4. PROGRAM FOR COMPANIES BUYING, PROCESSING AND SELLING ECOSOCIAL PRODUCTS.

These companies are certified based only on traceability assurance criteria and compliance with minimum social and environmental criteria of the country where they are based. These are companies that do not develop directly Development Programs but support financially the Development Programs of their direct or indirect suppliers. In order to be certified, these companies must fulfil all minimum criteria listed in the table below, besides operating accordingly to the local law:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – FAIR TRADE

TRADERS


a) The corporative social&environmental responsibility is explicit in the company’s mission and policies.

• The board of directors or leadership incorporates the concepts of Fair Trade and social&environmental development into the company’s business plans.

b) The company shall indicate the names of two people to represent EcoSocial in the operation: one from the company and one from the growers.

Submit a list with these names, indicating the way they have been chosen for this task – appointment or election. In the case of appointment, the enterprise needs to submit the letter that formalizes the appointment, and in the case of election, the election’s minutes.

c) The company shall pay a premium for the EcoSocial product, based on the market price and on open and free negotiation processes between the interested parts.

• All purchase and sale contracts shall be settled in written form, including information that shows the market price and the premium of the FAIR TRADE product. IBD’s acceptance of the premium will be conditioned to the next item.

• Besides, the enterprise shall submit an Investment Plan for this premium detailing how it will be invested – into the operation’s social, human and environmental development, along the certification year, demonstrating this plan is congruent with the fulfilment of the minimum criteria and the ongoing progress criteria.

• The enterprise shall prove that contracted



32

workers or grower groups take part in defining the plan for using the reward.

• The reward (overprice) can not be used to cover the enterprise’s current costs.

e) 100% of the sub-contracted producers must have a contract establishing agreements between them and the trader: items “f” to “n”.

Existence of contract.

g) Certification costs must be paid preferably by the traders in case the primary producers are smallholders. If costs are repassed to the sub-contracted producers, these costs should be clearly discriminated in the contract.


h) Producers are aware that the use of both the ECOSOCIAL trade mark and the seal is property of the trading company.


i) Producers are aware that they will only be able to commercialize their certified products through the trading company.


j) Permanent supply by the trading company, through all possible ways, of financial and technical support, help for engagement and formation of organic agriculture, access to IBD Guidelines and support to local organization.


k) Minimum price(s), premium and limit date for payment after reception of the product(s) from the sub-contracted producers must be determined in the buy and sell contract


l) Definition of the product standard characteristics (size, colour, weight, maturation etc.) associated to the combined minimum price as well as




33

the reduction fees related to the deviation of this standard must be clear and defined in contract.

m) Sub-contracted producers’ commitment of supplying the trading company with the products (and volumes) must also be stipulated in the contract.


n) Sub-contracted producers must be commited to following IBD Guidelines, as well as to allowing IBD inspectors access to their properties, even for inspections without previous warning.


o) The company shall carry out actions that allow adjustment to items “a” to “m” within two years from the beginning of the certification process.

Ongoing actions.

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM – APPENDIX I - CONTEXT


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APPENDIX I

CONTEXT

The contemporary world shows evident consequences of the accelerated modernity2, which affect both material and symbolic universes of all human beings on our planet, as well as the physical and biotic environment generally. Modern social institutions are, in some aspects, unique in their form, and the ways of life produced by modernity have detached us from the traditional ways as never before, leading to a discontinuity-branded interpretation of the modern social development, according to GIDDENS (1991). There are, obviously, relations of continuity between the traditional and the modern, neither of which constitutes a whole apart. However, the changes that took place along the past three or four centuries – a tiny period of historical time – had a dramatic and wide-reaching social, economical, cultural and environmental impact. As much in their extensive as in their intensive aspect, transformations resulting from modernity are deeper than most kinds of changes that were characteristic of previous periods. The perception that institutional modernity bases such as industrialism, for instance, could lead to excessive destruction of natural resources surfaced already in the IXX century. From that time on, a dilemma was instituted which is faced until the present day: how to conciliate the civilization’s physical demands with those new feelings and environmental values generated by the same civilization? Modernity also produces important consequences on the social reality. Poverty, starvation, social inequality, prejudice, racial discrimination, low-quality education, fragile health systems, inadequate human settlements, among others, are social problems spread all over the planet. According to the World Health Organization, more than 15 million people – most of them children – annually die of starvation in the beginning of the XXI century; another 500 million people are severely undernourished. Around 40 percent of the world population has no access to professional health services and 35 percent of mankind has no drinking quality water. Another relevant aspect of the globalization process has been the homogenizing of differences in favour of conceptual and technological hegemonies imposed as absolute truth for all peoples. Such lead to the annihilation of minority cultures in many countries, and consequently, their ways of life and world views did also disappear along with their traditional knowledge and techniques, especially concerning the traditional management of natural resources. With the extinction of such knowledge, the urban-industrial mankind loses a great opportunity of learning to keep a more sustainable relationship with nature and its resources. And, as an immediate consequence of this process, mankind becomes more and more dependent of artificial resources, which are not dominated by mankind, provoking the situation that GIDDENS calls unfitting. The predominant world view shows how peoples are distancing themselves from their immediate reality, which they understand and have an intimate relation of trust with, in exchange for a connection with products/processes they need to trust despite of not understanding them entirely, as, for example, the acquisition of food. Presently, almost everything, if not everything, that is consumed is produced by third parties with criteria unknown by most. Human beings have distanced themselves from what ensures their own surviving, in other words, their food, giving more importance to price than to quality as a parameter. Such can be

2 GIDDENS (1991) analyses the world situation as a situation of modernity, however a modernity different

from the one that appeared in the XVII century Europe and which afterwards got a more or less worldwide influence. This is a period in which the consequences of modernity are becoming more radical and universal than before (p:13). This is the picture the author calls accelerated modernity.



35

observed, for instance, when one compares how often the media brings up the subject of food prices against the quality of foods. The basic foodstuff cost has been considered countless times more important than their quality (nutritional value and production ways). The populations unfitting into their immediate reality, regarding what is consumed as food as much as countless other variables, constitutes an important factor of mankind unbalance. Human beings cause environmental unbalance – poisoning the environment and biodiversity decrease – in order to produce their food, and simultaneously bring their own bodies out of balance by consuming poisoned food. Thus, the hegemonic world view and way of life have been responsible as much for environmental as for individual degradation in a rate without precedents, which can lead to an ecological catastrophe and even to the extinction of humans. According to CAPRA (1993), the crisis situation is caused by the feeling of danger and brings a spark of change within. The Chinese view inserted this concept into the word “crisis” itself - wei –ji – which is formed by two characters: “danger” and “opportunity”. Historically, it has been observed that the decay process of societies that were on their peak started precisely when a given civilization lost its capacity of dealing with diversity and imposed a hegemonic and petrified standard. The loss of flexibility in a disintegrating society is accompanied by a general loss of harmony between its elements, unavoidably leading to disagreements and social rupture. However, during the painful process of disintegration, the society’s creativity – its capacity of reacting to challenges – is not completely lost. Though the mainstream culture has become petrified after insisting on fixes ideas and rigid behaviour standards, creative minorities appear on the picture and carry on with the process of challenge-response. The dominant social institutions refuse to hand over their protagonist roles to these cultural forces, but inevitably continue to decline and disintegrate, while the creative minorities become apt to transform some of the old elements giving them a new configuration. The process of cultural evolution continues, however under new circumstances and with new protagonists. The ecological and social crisis of modern society caused various segments of society to respond, which was intensified in the 70s with the creation of organized movements for a construction of an alternative society. The political movements back then, along with the structured of social movements, ecological movement and movement for ecological agriculture, demonstrate the surfacing of creative groups articulated for the search of new directions. The global crisis set off responses looking for the construction of a new paradigm, able to provide environmental, social, economical and political sustainability to the processes occurring on the whole planet. According to CAPRA (1993), the primordial signs of this change, the transfer of the mechanicist conception of reality to the holistic conception, can already be seen everywhere and can dominate the present decade. The movements from the 60s and 70s seem to go along the same way, emphasizing different aspects of this new view of reality. However, until now most of these movements did not yet acknowledge that their intentions are interrelated. The author then affirms that, once these different forces notice themselves as important parts of the same whole, they can be expected to flow together and to form a powerful force of social transformation. But until such does not occur, still at the beginning of the XXI century, mankind continues to wonder: which model would be more sustainable in social, economical, political and environmental aspects? Is it possible in the present situation? What must be done to reach it? Such questions are also posed by the summit of countries that form the United Nations Organization – UNO – and as a result of that search for answers, international agreements have been produced in order to provide a basis for actions favouring this new development model.



36

In 1992, Rio de Janeiro seated the United Nations Conference on Environment & Development - ECO 92 – which launched to the world the challenging proposal of implementing an Agenda, common to all member countries, aiming to change the direction of the planet’s development towards sustainability. In 1999 the UN heads the GLOBAL PACT Program, directed to the international business community and aiming to promote this community’s commitment with fundamental values regarding human rights, labour relationships and environment. In 2000, during a meeting called the Millennium Summit, the member countries promulgated the Millennium Declaration, consisting of the “ Eight Goals for the Millennium” to be accomplished by the member countries, with urgency, by the year 2015. Other consonant documents were also produced, such as the Kyoto Protocol, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Earth Charter, besides an enormous arsenal of laws and decrees reviewing social and environmental questions worldwide. Surely these UN initiatives as well as all other documents are fundamental, for they constitute parameters to be followed towards the construction of a better world for everyone. However, according to VEIGA (2004), the goals aimed for in these documents must be incorporated by the societies and public policies of all countries in order to effectively accomplish them there where the problems really exist – the immediate reality. In this sense, IBD, as a certifier for organic and biodynamic products and therefore already acting based upon an eminent concern with the society and the environment, decide to contribute more pointedly for the overcoming of the present social and environmental scenario, creating a specific certification system called EcoSocial. This way, this certifier seeks to contribute for the implementation of several principles, objectives and goals of the main international agreements.

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM – APPENDIX II –THE ECOSOCIAL SEAL AND THE

MAIN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENTS


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APPENDIX II

THE ECOSOCIAL SEAL AND THE MAIN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENTS

The EcoSocial program evaluates operations on the following specific parameters: Environmental Parameters:

• Compliance with current environmental legislation and regularization by the responsible government agencies;

• Preservation of protected natural areas (PPAs, LRs and Conservation Units); • Natural resources management (forest resources, subsoil and soil); • Water resources management; • Solid residues management (reduction, reutilization and recycling); • Liquid effluent management • Gas effluent management • Biodiversity and seed bank management; • Environmental impact of agricultural or wild harvest management.

Social Parameters:

• Compliance with current labour legislation and regularization by the responsible government agencies;

• Support to the work of trade unions; • Labour occupational safety and health; • Equal benefits for permanent and temporary workers; • Profit share (for employees) ; • Education / qualification for employees; • Qualification /training for grower group management (Internal Control Systems); • Technical qualification for grower groups; • Child labour; • No social, racial, religious, political and gender discrimination; • Basic and fundamental education; • Housing, Nutrition and Health; • Support to working / pregnant / nursing women; • Support to aged people; • Prevention of addictions / support to addicts (tobacco, alcohol, drugs);

Economic Parameters:

• Fair trade relationships; • Negotiations that are open, transparent and long-lasting between the parts interested; • Rewarding the company for Fair Trade actions; • Overprice or reward used by the company to promote social and environmental positive

externalities. These assessment parameters of the EcoSocial Program are in conformity with the main international agreements ruling social, environmental and fair trade actions for the overcoming of the present model of development, as listed below:




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1 - AGENDA 21:

• Combating poverty (Chapter 03 of the Agenda), by preconizing the qualification of smallholders,

wild harvest communities and indigenous communities for the obtention of sustainable ways of subsisting;

• Carrying out actions for changing current consumption patterns (Chapter 04 of the Agenda), through the efficient use of natural resources as opposed to the excessive use of the same;

• Protecting and promoting human health conditions (Chapter 06 of the Agenda), satisfying primary necessities (specially on the countryside) and control of infectious diseases;

• Promoting sustainable human settlement development (Chapter 07 of the Agenda), by enhancing the quality of social, economical and environmental features, as well as life and labour conditions of all people involved with the EcoSocial program;

• Reducing levels of atmospheric pollution (Chapter 09 of the Agenda), resulting from the present industrial model, by the practice of organic agriculture;

• Carry out an integrated approach to planning and management of resources (Chapter 10 of the Agenda), through EcoSocial program’s participative management;

• Combating deforestation (Chapter 11 of the Agenda), capacitating local agents for sustainable management, and complying with laws that pursue preservation and environmental conservation of ecosystems;

• Fomenting sustainable management for fragile ecosystems (Chapter 12 of the Agenda), by respecting the environmental legislation and demanding sustainable practices for agricultural and wild crop harvest management;

• Promoting rural development and sustainable agriculture and conservation of biological diversity (Chapters 14 and 15 of the Agenda), by Organic and Biodynamic concepts and practices;

• Protecting water resources (Chapter 18 of the Agenda), by adequate management of quality and supply, applying integrated criteria of development, environmental sustainability and effluent management;

• Promoting adequate management of solid residues (Chapter 21 of the Agenda), by respecting the current environmental legislation and encouraging recycling programs in the production chains;

• Strengthening the role of social groups (Chapter 23 of the Agenda), by adopting new ways of participation in which people and organizations are instigated to develop innovating procedures of social and environmental impact assessment, contributing for the formulation of tools to help implementing and monitoring proposals locally;

• Global action for women (Chapter 24 of the Agenda), by combating discrimination, respecting the labour legislation and encouraging social programs that assure working women have the same opportunities as men;

• Including children and youths into the movement for sustainable development (Chapter 25 of the Agenda), by assuring them access to formal education and encouraging programs that provide contact with sustainable management technology as well as the recovering of the regional culture and agricultural knowledge;

• Recognizing and strengthening the role of indigenous people and their communities (Chapter 26 of the Agenda), by respecting their territories and by sustainable ways of generating income, which allow financial autonomy integrated to the maintenance of the ethny’s culture and environment;

• Strengthening the role of NGOs (Chapter 27 of the Agenda), by encouraging participative systems of management and periodical monitoring of social and environmental development parameters;

• Strengthening the role of rural workers and their trade unions, industry, business and farmers (Chapters 29, 30 and 32 of the Agenda), by respecting labour legislation and taking part in the management of social and environmental development programs;




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• Promoting education, awareness and training of local social agents aiming to qualify them for active participation in the overcoming of the present model of development (Chapter 36 of the Agenda), by encouraging the formation of participative systems of management and the participation in managing social and environmental development programs;

• Favouring decision-making by those social actors involved in constructing sustainable development as a way of assuring democratic participation, emancipation and autonomy (Chapter 40 of the Agenda), by encouraging the formation of participative systems of management and the participation in managing social and environmental development programs;

2 - EARTH CHARTER

The Earth Charter, written during the UN Conference for Environment and Development in 1992, argues that in order to overcome the main problems of the world, societies must decide to live with a sense of universal responsibility, identifying themselves with the whole Earth community as well as with the local community. To be, simultaneously, citizens of different nations and of a world in which the local and global dimensions are connected. Each one shares the responsibility for the present and the future, for the well-being of the human family and the whole world of living beings. The spirit of human solidarity and relationship with all life is strengthened when one experiences the mystery of existence reverentially, with gratitude for the gift of life, and humility regarding the spot that human beings occupy in nature.

Mankind urgently needs to develop a shared vision of basic values in order to provide ethical fundaments for the emergent world community. For such, the Earth Charter proposes the following principles, all interdependent, aiming for a sustainable way of life as a common criterion by which the behaviour of all individuals, organizations, enterprises, governments and cross-national institutions will be guided and assessed.

Comparing the assessment parameters of the EcoSocial program with the principles established by the Earth Charter, a total communion of their presuppositions and guidelines can be observed. The Earth Charter preconizes the following topics: • Respecting and caring for the community of life. • Constructing democratic societies which are fair, participative, sustainable and peace-loving. • Respecting the Earth and life in all its diversity. • Caring for the community of life with understanding, compassion, and love. • Assuring the Earth’s gifts and beauty for the present and future generations. • Protecting and restoring the integrity of the Earth’s ecosystems, with special concern for biological

diversity and life-supporting natural processes. • Employing prevention of negative environmental externalities as the best method of environmental

protection, and, to adopt an attitude of precaution whenever knowledge is limited. • Avoiding military activities to cause damage to the environment. • Adopting production, consumption and reproduction patterns that protect the Earth’s capacity of

regeneration, the human rights and the well-being of the community. • Progressing with the research for environmental sustainability and promoting open exchange and

ample application of the obtained knowledge. • Eradicating poverty as an ethical, social and environmental imperative.




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• Assuring that economical activities and institutions on all levels promote human development in a fair and sustainable way.

• Assuring that all commercial transactions support the use of sustainable resources, environmental protection and progressist labour norms.

• Affirming equality and fairness regarding gender as pre-requisites for sustainable development, and assuring universal access to education, health services and economical opportunities.

• Defending, indiscriminately, every person’s right to a natural and social environment, able to ensure human dignity, body health and spiritual well-being, with special attention for the rights of indigenous people and minorities.

• Strengthening democratic institutions on all levels and ensuring they are transparent and account for their governing work, providing inclusive participation in decision-making and access to justice.

• Integrating formal education and life-along apprenticeship with all knowledge, values and abilities necessary for a sustainable way of life.

• Treating all living beings with respect and consideration. • Promoting a culture of tolerance, non-violence and peace.

3 - GLOBAL PACT PROGRAM

The GLOBAL PACT Program has been lead by the United Nations Organization (UNO) since 1999, with the intention to disseminate principles to be followed by companies worldwide regarding human right, labour relationships and environment. It is a compendium of 09 principles for the implementation of social and environmental responsibility in enterprises and institutions. The 09 principles foreseen in the Global Pact are incorporated in the assessment parameters of IBD EcoSocial Program: • Enterprises shall support and respect, in their area of influence, the protection of internationally

recognized human rights. • Enterprises shall make sure not to take part in the violation of human rights. • Enterprises shall support the liberty of associating and the effective recognition of the right of

collective negotiation. • Eliminating all forms of forced or compulsory work. • Supporting effective eradication of child labour. • Supporting the eradication of discrimination at work. • Enterprises shall adopt a preventive approach for environmental challenges. • Developing initiatives for promoting enhanced environmental responsibility. • Encouraging the development and diffusion of environmentally sustainable technologies.




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4 - MILENNIUM DECLARATION: In September 2000, UNO gathered 147 heads of state and government in an event called “the Millennium Summit”, during which the “Millennium Declaration”, afterwards signed by all 189 member countries, reflecting the growing concern about the Planet’s sustainability and the severe problems that afflict mankind. However, the governments who in this document reaffirmed their intention of implementing national and worldwide programs for sustainable development and poverty elimination have been facing obstacles and limits to those achievements in their countries. According to VEIGA (2004, p.05), the complexity and amplitude of the problems have been above the governments’ capacity and disposition to confront them, so that it becomes extremely necessary that societies participate, through partnerships between the various social actors and the different government spheres providing solutions with effectiveness and reach. With its EcoSocial Program, IBD contributes for the accomplishment of the eight Goals of the Millennium foreseen in this international agreement, as listed completely below: • Eradicating starvation and poverty. • Achieving universalization of fundamental education with quality for everyone. • Promoting equality between genders and autonomy for women. • Reducing child mortality. • improving mothers’ health • Combating AIDS, malaria and other diseases. • Ensuring environmental sustainability. • Promoting a worldwide partnership for development. 5 - OTHER CORRELATED INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND BRAZILIAN LEGISLATION: Besides the International Cooperation Agreements mentions above, there are others which are also directly correlated to the IBD EcoSocial Program. Those agreements and programs are listed in ANNEX I.

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM – APPENDIX III – COMPARING ECOSOCIAL TO

CORRELATED NORMS: ISO, OSHAS, BS, SA.


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APPENDIX III

COMPARING ECOSOCIAL TO CORRELATED NORMS: ISO, OSHAS, BS, SA.

Comparative analysis of IBD EcoSocial and other correlated certification systems: ABNT NBR ISO 9001 - 2000 ABNT NBR ISO 14001 - 2005 ABNT NBR ISO 16001 – 2004 SA 8000 – 2001 BS 8800 – 1996 OHSAS 18000 - 1999 1. INTRODUCTION In the universe of models and instruments for responsible management, there are, on one side, ISO, SA 8000, BS 8800 and OHSAS 18000 Standards. On the other side, there are principles as comprehensive and important as the Declaration of Human Rights, the Earth Charter, the Rio Declaration / Agenda 21 and the Millennium Goals (ETHOS:2004, p. 5). With such a wide spread of options, it is natural that company managers feel insecure about how to implement the guidelines, principles, goals, and indicators of action foreseen in the main international cooperation agreements in the context of corporations. In fact, initiatives such as the Declaration of Human Rights, the Millennium Goals and Agenda 21 aim to provide a perspective of what is going on concerning environmental and social impacts produced by human beings and show ways to minimize those impacts. On the other hand, the International Certification Norms are tools to construct these ways within the companies, defining procedures for their correct implementation. In this context, it is important to emphasize that there is not a code or standard that will alone take corporations to responsibility and sustainable development, as each company is a different world with its own challenges, corporative culture and management system. Therefore, if enterprises wish to improve their management concerning Health and Safety, they can choose to follow BS 8800 – 1996 or OHSAS 18001 – 1999. If the priority is improving the environmental management, the company will follow ISO 14001, and if the main issue is improving the quality of the product / service, the option will be to implement ISO 9001. Depending on the company’s context, it may need to have a clear Social Responsibility system, which can be addressed by procedures foreseen in SA 8000 or the recently released ISO 16001. Considering the gravity of environmental and social issues that overrun global society, companies easily need or wish to implement a Management System which integrates all aspects of the different mentioned technical norms, aiming for Total Quality Management. In order to assist entrepreneurs in this challenge, there is already a tendency of congruence between the procedures of these rules and also manuals developed by entities as Ethos Institute – Business and Social Responsibility and the Sigma Project (a Partnership between Forum for the Future, AccountAbility and British Standards Institution). Working with enterprises that, by the nature of their way of production itself, choose to minimize environmental and social impacts within the Organic Standard, in 2003 IBD codified the Expanded Guidelines named ECOSOCIAL. This initiative had the intention to value and highlight the efforts of




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some certified enterprises in favour of health and safety conditions at work, environmental conservation and recovering, as well as quality management concerning products and / or services. With so many already existing norms and standards, why did IBD choose to create its own Guidelines and Seal? The main reason was for believing that, offering enterprises a Certification System that integrated social, environmental and quality aspects would facilitate the path towards Total Quality Management (TQM) and consequently towards sustainable development. However many congruences there are amongst the existing Norms and their procedures, the fact that these are many and not a single one often ends up difficulting their effective implementation. This situation gets worse when considering a universe of smallholders belonging to grower groups certified by IBD, and the costs of consultancy, monitoring and auditing while implementing the mentioned norms. Thus, ECOSOCIAL was also created as a means of making it possible, to more accessible costs, to value these small entrepreneurs’ efforts in favour of social, environmental and quality causes. On the other hand, enabling these producers to associate their products to a seal that distinguishes them positively before society, brings them greater financial valorization and consequently increases their work and income. The fact that the existent auditing systems do not cover informal labour relationships, thus excluding a great part of the IBD certified operations from being audited on their social and environmental features, strengthened IBD’s proposal of creating an own seal. Even more, the great cultural diversity in Brazil as well as the different social and financial realities of the certified operations lead IBD to proposing a seal that considers and values ethnical differences in the auditing process and also enables the participants to adequate their processes to the social and environmental parameters proposed by certification, through the method of “continuous improvement”. Finally, despite the rules and guidelines currently used in IBD’s institutional work, the planet’s present social and environmental context suggests the adoption of more specific tools for the ruling, implementing and auditing the actions developed by companies certified to the IBD Organic Standard. Especially regarding the systemizing of monitoring indicators that are capable of assessing the progress or regression of the social, environmental and quality management programs they develop, making goals and achieved results more visible. In this sense, the EcoSocial seal constitutes a tool for implementing, locally, the principles, objectives and goals indicated worldwide as fundamental for the construction of a development model which is more sustainable in social, economical, political and environmental aspects, bearing within the challenge proposed by BRANDÃO (1995, p.16):

This is not about the re-creation of methods, or re-thinking concepts that will only improve the

same logic of relationships between humans and nature and between people themselves. What

matters is to alter the very essence of such structure of knowledge, along with a structure of values,

in every way and dimension, so that it becomes possible to think and establish principles for

relationships of another order.

2. SUMMARIZED DESCRIPTION OF THE NORMS

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION - 2007 ABNT NBR ISO 9001 - 2000 ABNT NBR ISO 14001 - 2005




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ABNT NBR ISO 16001 – 2004 SA 8000 – 2001 BS 8800 – 1996 OHSAS – 1999

2.1. IBD ECOSOCIAL – 2007

Despite the rules and guidelines currently used in IBD’s institutional work, the planet’s present social and environmental context suggests the adoption of more specific certification tools for auditing social and environmental issues on certified companies, farms and grower groups. Besides, considering the fact that IBD is a Brazilian certification body and that the greatest part of its clients are located in this country (considered one of the priority targets for commercial relationships based on FAIR TRADE principles), IBD decided to also incorporate evaluation criteria related to commercial relationships. Thus, IBD EcoSocial Certification System aims for auditing companies, farms and smallholder groups through criteria of human, social, environmental and economic development. In order to be certified, enterprises must meet all minimum criteria listed in this rule, as well as at least two criteria of progress regarding human, social, environmental and economic development during the year of certification. Another EcoSocial innovation is that companies and farms working conventionally, that is non-organically, can also be certified as long as they are certified in accordance with the rules of RainForest Alliance, EurepGap, PIF - Integrated Fruit Production, TNC - Tesco, Nature´s Choice, and, in the case of processors, rules such as ISO 22.000, IFS - International Food Standard, BRC – British Retail Consortium, HACCP (Codex Alimentarius). This certification requirement has the purpose to ensure that the conventional handling is carried out within the standards of food safety wished for according to good agriculture and manufacturing practices, HACCP concept and principles of sustainable agriculture. Creating the EcoSocial seal, IBD intends to highlight the social and environmental positive externalities produced by certified companies and farms, valuing the various initiatives and the cultural diversity existing in Brazil, as well as allowing the participation of enterprises of a wide range of social and economic profiles through the possibility of “continuous improvement”. 2.2. ABNT NBR ISO 9001 – 2000

QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (International Norm). This Norm specifies requirements for a quality management system focusing on the Client and the Quality Standard, and can be incorporated to any organization independently of its type, size and product or service. By this Norm, the organization shall elaborate and implement a Quality Practice for the continuous improvement of the Quality Standard of Products / Services, with the purpose of increasing the Clients’ satisfaction. It is up to the Directory to establish the company’s Quality Policy and demonstrate evidences of commitment with same, ensuring compliance and making the necessary resources available. Once the Quality Policy is established, the managers point out objectives and goals to be achieved by the




45

organization, plan, implement and carry out the necessary actions, create records and documents that ensure the procedures and, finally, measure, analyse and propose adjustments to the incorporated Quality System. Comparing this Norm with the EcoSocial System, it is possible to affirm that the ISO 9000 principles are contained in IBD Organic and IBD EcoSocial Guidelines.

2.3. ABNT NBR ISO 14001 – 2005

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (International Norm). This Norm specifies requirements concerning an Environmental Management System, allowing an organization to develop and implement a policy and objectives that consider legal aspects of the company, amongst others, and information regarding significant environmental aspects. It applies to environmental aspects that the organization can control or influence, according to its own assessment. This Norm does not establish specific criteria of environmental performance; those will be defined by the assessment of significant environmental aspects, which depend on the enterprise’s nature. It is also applicable to any type, size and nature of organization. It is up to the Directory to establish the company’s Environmental Management Policy and demonstrate evidences of commitment with same, ensuring compliance and making the necessary resources available. Once the Environmental Management Policy is established, the managers carry out an assessment of all environmental aspects related to production activities and identify which are significant, recommending them as priority issues for the organization’s Environmental Management System. It is recommended that this assessment and identification are performed concerning the organization’s activities, products and services. For each significant environmental aspect, objectives and goals to be achieved by the organization are pointed out; the necessary actions are planned, implemented and carried out; records and documents ensuring the adopted procedures are created. Periodically, the company’s environmental performance shall be measured regarding each established goal, and the results of such measurement are submitted to the Directory and the interested parts for analysis, and adjustments to the Environmental Management System can be proposed in case of noncompliances. Comparing this Norm with the EcoSocial System, it is possible to affirm that the ISO 14001 principles are contained in IBD Organic and IBD EcoSocial Guidelines.

2.4. ABNT NBR ISO 16001 – 2004

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (International Norm). This Norm specifies minimum requirements concerning a Social Responsibility Management System, allowing the organization to formulate and implement a policy and objectives that consider the company’s legal requirements amongst others, its ethical commitments ad its concern with promoting citizens’ rights and duties, sustainable development and transparency of its own activities. This Norm has the objective of providing organizations with elements of an effective Social Responsibility Management System, which can be integrated to other management systems, assisting the organizations to achieve their social responsibility objectives.




46

This Norm does not dictate specific criteria of social responsibility performance and is applicable to any organization independently the enterprise’s size and nature. The Directory shall define the company’s Social Responsibility Policy and provide conditions for its enforcement. Once the Social Responsibility Policy is established, the managers point out objectives and goals to be achieved by the organization, plan, implement and carry out the necessary actions, create records and documents that ensure the procedures and, finally, measure, analyse and propose adjustments to the adopted social management system. Comparing this Norm with the EcoSocial System, it is possible to affirm that the ISO 16001 principles are contained in IBD Organic and IBD EcoSocial Guidelines.

2.5. SA 8000 - 2001

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (American Norm) This Norm specifies requirements of social responsibility to enable the company to develop, maintain and carry out policies and procedures with the objective of managing those issues it can control or influence. The fulfilment of this Norm allows organizations to highlight their social performance and the possibility of improving their image before the interested parts. This Norm dictates specific criteria of social responsibility performance – child labour, forced labour, health and safety, rights of association and collective negotiation, discrimination, disciplinary practices, working hours and payment - and is applicable to any organization independently the enterprise’s size and nature. The Directory shall define the company’s Social Responsibility Policy and provide conditions for its enforcement. Once the Social Responsibility Policy is established, the managers point out objectives and goals to be achieved by the organization, plan, implement and carry out the necessary actions, create records and documents that ensure the procedures and, finally, measure, analyse and propose adjustments to the adopted social management system. Comparing this Norm with the EcoSocial System, it is possible to affirm that the SA 8000 principles are contained in IBD Organic and IBD EcoSocial Guidelines.

2.6. BS 8800 – 1996

SISTEMAS DE GESTÃO DE SAÚDE E SEGURANÇA INDUSTRIAL (British Norm).

2.7. OHSAS 18000 – 1999

OCCUPACIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY ASSESSMENT SERIES (International Norm). This Norm provides guidance concerning occupational health and safety (OH&S) management systems in order to help fulfilling OH&S policies and objectives and integrating this system into the




47

organization’s global management system. It is a support tool for companies – exclusively industries – offering a structured approach for identifying, evaluating and controlling work-related risks. From an assessment of the initial occupational health and safety situation, the Directory shall define, document and endorse an OH&S Policy for the organization. For the implementation of the proposed Policy, the organization identifies objectives and goals to accomplish, with the respective plans of action, documentation, measurement and performance analysis. According to the results of measurement and analysis, noncompliances must be corrected through adjustments to the OH&S System, following a process of continuous improvement. OHSAS 18001 Norm - Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series - went into effect in 1999, developed to be compatible with ISO 9.000, with the objective of facilitating the implementation of Integrated Management Systems (IMS) by companies. The intention is to offer a single specification, universally accepted and externally controllable. This specification adopts the principles of BS 8800, but follows the structure and methodology of ISO 14001, as to be applicable to all fields of activity. Such as ISO 9001 and 14001, OHSAS 18001 emphasizes the element of review by the Directory – which must be duly documented – as a main force o ensure the management system’s continuous improvement. OHSAS 18001 does not establish absolute requirements of Work Health and Safety performance, constituting a tool that allows the company to accomplish and systematically control its self-established QH&S performance level. Comparing this Norm with the EcoSocial System, it is possible to affirm that the BS 8800 and OHSAS 18000 principles are contained in IBD Organic and IBD EcoSocial Guidelines.

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM – APPENDIX III – COMPARING ECOSOCIAL TO CORRELATED NORMS: ISO, OSHAS, BS, SA.


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3 – COMPARATIVE TABLE OF ECOSOCIAL SYSE AND CORRELATED NORMS

REQUIREMENT ECO SOCIAL ISO 9001 ISO 14001 ISO 16001 AS 8000 BS 8800

Management System

Requirements

Requirements of a Quality, Environment, Social Responsibility, and Occupational Health and Safety Management System

Requirements of a Quality Management System

Requirements of an Environmental Management System

Requirements of a Social Responsibility Management System

Requirements of a Social Responsibility Management System

Requirements of an Occupational Health and Safety Management System

Policies Established by the Directory / leadership with direct participation of collaborators

Established by the Directory





Quality, Environment, Social Responsibility, and Occupational Health and Safety Policy

Quality Policy Environmental Policy

Social Responsibility Policy

Social Responsibility Policy

Occupational Health and Safety Policy

Continuous Improvement






Legal Requirements

and others

Focus on the client, environmental aspects, social aspects, occupational health and safety aspects

Focus on the client environmental aspects

social aspects social aspects occupational health and safety aspects



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Follows legal requirements, international conventions and agreements on environmental, social and occupational health and safety aspects, besides those regarding the quality of the product

Follows requirements regarding the quality of the product

legal requirements and others


Follows legal requirements and international conventions and agreements on social aspects


Pre-defined parameters (Programs)

Non defined parameters



Pre-defined parameters (Criteria)


General Aspects Focus on the client, environmental aspects, social aspects, occupational health and safety

Focus on the client Focus on environmental aspects

Focus on social aspects

Focus on social aspects

Focus on occupational health and safety aspects

Determination of requirements related to the product, environmental, social and occupational health and safety aspects

Determination of requirements related to the product

Identification of environmental aspects related to the production process

Identification of social aspects related to the production process

Identification of social aspects related to the production process

Identification of occupational health and safety aspects related to the production process

Determination of significant environmental, social and occupational health

Critical analysis of requirement product related

Determination of significant environmental aspects

Determination of significant social aspects

Implantation of social responsibility criteria pre-defined by the scope of the

Determination of significant occupational health and safety aspects



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and safety aspects norm

Objectives, Goals

and Program(s)

Definition of objectives, goals and programs

Definition of quality objectives





Planning Elaboration of a plan of action for each objective, goal and program

Elaboration of a plan of action for each objective, goal and program











Implementation

and Operation

Implementation of the programs

Completion of the product

EMS implementation and operation

SRMS implementation and operation

Implementation of social responsibility criteria

OH&SMS implementation and operation

Operational Control

Monitoring of objectives, goals and programs

Monitoring of the product completion





Determination of procedures

Determination of product related requirements




Critical analysis of requirement product related

Determination of operational criteria in procedures

Determination of operational criteria in procedures

Implementation and maintenance of

Project planning Implementation and maintenance of






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procedures and development procedures procedures procedures procedures

Control of procedure changes

Control of project changes and development





Production and services

Validation of procedures

Validation of production and service processes

Validation of EMS Validation of SRMS Validation of procedures

Validation of procedures

Commitment of the Directory / leadership

Commitment of the Directory





Responsibility and authorities






Representative of the Directory / leadership

Representative of the Directory





Supply of resources Supply of resources Supply of resources Supply of resources Supply of resources Supply of resources

Infra-structure Infra-structure Infra-structure Infra-structure Infra-structure Infra-structure

Resources.

Roles,

Responsibilities

and Authorities

Employees take part in defining objectives goals and programs

Employees are informed about the QMS

Employees are informed about the EMS

Employees are informed about the SRMS

Employees take direct part in the critical evaluation of the norm’s fulfilment

Employees are informed about the OH&SMS



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Training and

Consciousness-raising

Training and consciousness-raising of employees, suppliers and contractors concerning the adopted management parameters

Training and consciousness-raising of employees, suppliers and contractors concerning the QMS

Training and consciousness-raising of employees, suppliers and contractors concerning the EMS

Training and consciousness-raising of employees, suppliers and contractors concerning the SRMS

Training and consciousness-raising of employees, suppliers and contractors concerning the adopted criteria of social management

Training and consciousness-raising of employees, suppliers and contractors concerning the OH&SMS

Quality Manual Environmental Management System Manual

Social Responsibility Management System Manual

Communication Internal communication

Internal communication





Communication with the interested parts






Control

of records

Control of records Control of records Control of records Control of records Control of records Control of records

Preparation and

response to

emergencies

Control of noncompliant product

Preparation and response to emergencies

Preparation and response to emergencies

Checking Measurement, analysis and improvement

Measurement, analysis and

Monitoring and measurement

Monitoring and measurement





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improvement improvement improvement

Evaluation of compliance with Legal Requirements and others

Evaluation of the Client’s level of satisfaction





Control of

Documents

Control of documents Control of documents

Control of documents




Internal Audit Internal Audit Internal Audit Internal Audit Internal Audit Internal Audit Internal Audit

Analysis by the

Management

Analysis by threefold commission

tripartite

Analysis by the management





Continuous

Improvement

Corrective action and preventive action






Re-adjustment of goals and programs






IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM– APPENDIX IV – GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS USED IN

IBD ECOSOCIAL GUIDELINES


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APPENDIX IV

GLOSSARY OF ACRONYMS USED IN IBD ECOSOCIAL GUIDELINES:

AIA – Auto de Infração ENVIRONMENTAL/ Environmental Infraction Record APP – Área de Preservação Permanente / Permanent Preservation Area CA - Certificado de Aprovação do Ministério do Trabalho / Approval by the Ministry of Labour CIPA – Comissão Interna de Prevenção de Acidentes / Internal Committee for Accident Prevention DNPM – Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral / National Department of Mineral Production DRT – Delegacia Regional do Trabalho / Regional Labour Office EEC – Comunidade Econômica Européia / European Economical Community EPI – Equipamento de Proteção Individual / Individual Protection Equipment ETE – Estação de Tratamento de Efluentes / Effluent Treatment Station FGTS - SEVERANCE PAY INDEMNITY FUND – Fundo de Garantia por Tempo de Serviço / severance pay indemnity fund IFOAM – Federação Internacional dos Movimentos de Agricultura Orgânica / International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements INSS – Instituto Nacional de Seguridade Social / National Institute of Social Security NOP – National Organic Program PPR - Programa de Participação nos Resultados / Profit Share Program RL – Reserva Legal / Legal Reserve SAFs - Sistemas Agroflorestais / Agroforestry Systems

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM– APPENDIX V – BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES


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APPENDIX V

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES

BRANDÃO, C. R. Outros Afetos, Outros Olhares, Outras Idéias, Outras Relações in A Questão Ambiental: Cenários de Pesquisa. Campinas: NEPAM / UNICAMP, 1995. CAPRA, F. O Ponto de Mutação. São Paulo: Editora Cultrix, 1993. GIDDENS, A. As Conseqüências da Modernidade. São Paulo: Editora da UNESP, 1991. NEGRET, R. Na Trilha do Development Sustentável. Alto Paraíso: Instituto Transdisciplinar de Development Sustentável – ITDS, 1994. VEIGA, J. P. C. O Compromisso das Empresas com as Metas do Milênio. São Paulo: Instituto Ethos, 2004.

IBD ECOSOCIAL CERTIFICATION SYSTEM– ANNEX I –INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND CO-

RELATED BRAZILIAN LEGISLATION


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ANNEX I

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS AND CO-RELATED BRAZILIAN LEGISLATION

• Convention for the Protection of the Flora, Fauna and Landscape Beauties of American Countries

(12/10/1940), Decree nr. 58.054 of 23/03/1966.

• Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer (22/05/1985), Decree 99.280 of 06/06/1990.

• Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer (16/09/1987), Decree 99.280 of 06/06/1990.

• Adjustment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer (20/06/1990), Decree 181 of 24/07/1991.

• Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer (29/06/1990), Decree 2.699 of 30/07/1998.

• United Nations Framework Convention on Climatic Changes (09/05/1992), Decree 2.652 of 01/07/1998.

• Constitutive Agreement of the Inter-American Institute for Research on Global Changes (Montevideo Minutes), (13/05/1992), Decree 2.544 of 13/04/1998.

• Convention on Biological Diversity (Rio-92) (05/06/1992), Decree 2.519 of 16/03/1998.

• Agreement on Cooperation and Exchange of Goods Used for Defence and Protection of the Environment (27/06/1992), Decree 652 of 15/09/1992.

• Amendments to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that deplete the Ozone Layer (25/11/1992), Decree 2.679 of 17/07/1998.

• Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climatic Changes (10/12/1997), Decree 3.842 of 13/06/2001.

• Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Civil Rights to Women (02/05/1945), Decree 31.643 of 23/10/1953.

• Inter-American Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women (02/05/1948), Decree 28.011 of 19/04/1950.

• Convention on the Granting of Political Rights to Women (31/03/1953), Decree 52.476 of 12/09/1963.

• International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination (07/03/1966), Decree 65.810 of 08/12/1969.

• International Pact on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (19/12/1966), Decree 591 of 06/07/1992.




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• The American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José) (22/11/1969), Decree 678 of 06/11/1992.

• Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (18/12/1979), Decree 4.377 of 13/09/2002.

• Additional Protocol to the American Convention on Human Rights on the Area of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Protocol of San Salvador) (17/11/1988), Decree 3.321 of 30/12/1999.

• International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention nr 169 – on Indigenous and Tribal People (27/06/1989), Decree 5051 of 19/12/1999.

• Convention on the Rights of the Child (20/11/1989), Decree 99.710 of 21/11/1990.

• Facultative Protocol for the Agreement of Eliminating All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (06/10/1999), Decree 4.316 of 30/07/2001.

• Facultative Protocol for the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, Decree 4.738 of 12/06/2001.

• ILO Convention nr. 03 concerning the Employment of Women before and after Childbirth (29/11/1919), Decree 423 of 12/11/1935.

• ILO Convention nr. 12 concerning Workmen's Compensation in Agriculture (12/11/1921), Decree 41.721 of 25/06/1957.

• ILO Convention nr. 11 concerning the Rights of Association and Combination of Agricultural Workers (12/11/1921), Decree 41.721 of 25/06/1957.

• ILO Convention nr. 26 concerning the Creation of Minimum Wage-Fixing Machinery (16/06/1928), Decree 41.721 of 25/06/1957.

• ILO Convention nr. 29 concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour (28/06/1930), Decree 41.721 of 25/06/1957.

• ILO Convention nr. 98 concerning the Application of the Principles of the Right to Organise and to Bargain Collectively (01/07/1949), Decree 33.196 of 29/06/1953.

• ILO Convention nr. 99 concerning Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery in Agriculture (29/06/1951), Decree 41.721 of 25/06/1957.

• ILO Convention nr. 100 concerning Equal Remuneration for Men and Women Workers for Work of Equal Value (29/06/1951), Decree 41.721 of 25/06/1957.

• ILO Convention nr. 103 concerning Maternity Protection (28/06/1952), Decree 58.820 of 14/07/1966.

• ILO Convention nr. 105 concerning the Abolition of Forced Labour (05/06/1957), Decree 58.822 of 14/07/1966.




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• ILO Convention nr. 131 concerning Minimum Wage Fixing, with Special Reference to Developing Countries (22/06/1970), Decree 89.686 of 22/05/1984.

• ILO Convention nr. 141 concerning Organisations of Rural Workers and Their Role in Economic and Social Development (23/06/1975), Decree 1703 of 17/11/1995.

• ILO Convention nr. 148 concerning the Protection of Workers against Occupational Hazards in the Working Environment Due to Air Pollution, Noise and Vibration (01/06/1977), Decree 93.413 of 15/10/86.

• ILO Convention nr. 154 concerning the Promotion of Collective Bargaining (19/06/1981), Decree 1.256 of 29/09/1994.

• ILO Convention nr. 155 concerning Occupational Safety and Health and the Working Environment (22/06/1981), Decree 1.254 of 29/09/1994.

• ILO Convention nr. 161 concerning Occupational Health Services (07/06/1985), Decree 127 of 22/05/1991.

• ILO Convention nr. 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (27/06/1989), Decree 5.051 of 19/04/2004.

• ILO Convention nr. 182 concerning the Worst Forms of Child Labour and Recommendation nr. 190 on Prohibition and Immediate Action for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (17/06/1999), Decree 3.597 of 12/09/2000.

BRAZILIAN ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

• Brazilian Federal Constitution, Articles 23 e 225, of 1988.

• Federal Law 4.771 of 15/09/1965. Institutes the new Brazilian Forest Code.

• Federal Law 5.197 of 03/01/1967. Regulates Fauna Protection and other related issues.

• Decree Law 1.413 of 14/08/1975. Regulates the control of environmental pollution caused by industrial activity.

• Decree 7.389 of 03/10/1975. Regulates industrial pollution control and prevention measures, related to Decree Law 1.413 of 14/09/1975 and other related issues.

• Federal Law 6.938 of 31/08/1981. Regulates the National Environmental Policy, its Purposes, Formulation Mechanisms and Application and other related issues.

• Federal Law 6803 of 02/07/1980. Regulates the Basic Guidelines for Industrial Zoning in critical pollution areas.

• Federal Law 7.802 of 11/07/1989. Regulates research, experimenting, production, packaging and labelling, transport, storing, trading, commercial advertising, utilization, import, export, final destination of residues and packages, registration, classification, control, inspection and inspection of agrochemicals and related components, and other related issues.




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• Federal Law 7.797 of 14/04/1989. Establishes measures for environmental protection of forests existing around river springs, and other related issues.

• Federal Law 8.171 of 17/01/1991. Regulates the National Agricultural Policy.

• Federal Law 9.497 of 08/01/1997. Regulates the National Water Resources Policy and creates the National System of Water Resources.

• Federal Law 9.605 of 12/02/1998. Regulates administrative and penal sanctions originated from environment-harming behaviour and activities.

• Federal Law 9.984 of 17/07/2000. Regulates the creation of the National Water Agency - ANA -, Federal Entity for the Implementation of the National Water Resources Policy and Coordination of the National Water Resources Management System, and other related issues.

• Federal Law 9.985 of 18/07/2000. Regulates Article 225, Paragraph 1, Incises I, II, III and VII of the Federal Constitution and institutes the National System of Nature Conservation Units, and other related issues.

• “The City Statutes” – Law 10.257 of 10/07/2001, establishes the General Guidelines for Urban Policies.

• Decree 4.703 of 21/05/2003. Regulates the National program of Biological Diversity – PRONABIO – and the National Commission of Biodiversity, and other related issues.

• Decree 3.092 of 21/05/2004. Defines rules to identify Priority Areas for Conservation, Sustainable Use and Benefit Distribution of Biodiversity, as part of the attributions of the Ministry for the Environment.

BRAZILIAN SOCIAL LAWS

• Decree Law 1.238 of 02/05/1939. Regulates the Installation of refectories and the creation of professional improvement courses for workers.

• Decree 71.037 of 29/08/1972. Establishes the administrative procedure for granting benefits resulting from work accidents, and regulates Article 15 of Federal Law 5.316 de 14/09/1967.

• Decree 1.572 of 28/07/1995. Regulates Mediation in Collective Bargaining of Labour Nature and other related issues.

• Federal Law 8.069 of 13/07/1990. Regulates the Statute of Children and Teenagers and other related issues.

• Federal Law 10.741 of 01/10/2003. Regulates the Statute of Aged People and other related issues.

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