Sustainable spices

Content

Introduction
Spice sector organizations
Market information
Sustainability support organizations
Sustainability standards - organizations

Introduction

Spices are to a large extent processed into other products: bakery products, soups and sauces, snacks etc. Although they are ingredients to a wide range of products, most food and retail companies do not (yet) consider spices critical products in terms of sustainability, unlike products such as fish, cocoa, palm oil and coffee.

Increasingly, sustainability requirements apply to a larger share of commodities. Whereas previously fair trade and organic movements were exploring niche markets, now the mainstream market is becoming more and more aware of the importance of sustainable trade as well. A whole range of certification systems is in use for showing the level of sustainability of these products. There are common systems such as Fair Trade or Organic, but companies and industries do occasionally develop their own private certification systems as well.

Also the spice sector is exploring how to make the industry more sustainable. At this page you will find links to organizations that are involved in spice promotion and organizations that provide information that relate to today’s spice trade and - or sustainability. In addition, links to all kind of quality and sustainability management systems are provided, including examples from other industries.

Spice sector organizations

European Spice Association - ESA
ESA represents national associations within the European seasoning and spice trade whose membership are involved in the processing, marketing, distribution and trading of herbs, spices and seasoning mixes.

American Spice Trade Association – ASTA
The ASTA is a trade association that represents the U.S. spice industry. Its members include U.S.-based agents, brokers and importers, and companies based outside of the U.S. that grow spices and ship them to the U.S. and other companies associated with the U.S. spice industry.

Spice Board of India
The Spices Board (Ministry of Commerce, Government of India) is the flagship organization for the development and worldwide promotion of Indian spices. The Board is an international link between the Indian exporters and the importers abroad.

Market information

CBI - Spices and herbs market in the EU
The Centre for the promotion of imports from developing countries offers for privileged clients free market information. Common customers can find however some general information on the content of the surveys in CBI’s database and are also allowed to have a preview. This web link provides information on facts, figures and information about spices and herbs markets in the EU. A whole range of related documents on the spice and herbs market surveys for individual European countries can be found here as well.

FAO statistics
FAOSTAT provides time-series and cross sectional  data relating to food and agriculture for some 200 countries.

ITC -Organic Link
Organic Link is a web portal serving the organic business communities. This website helps exporters and importers of organic products to find each other through its easy-to-access database of business contacts. It also contains useful information about organic products and markets.

World markets in the spice trade 2000-2004
At the spices and herbs website of the Internationl Trade Centre this publication from april 2006 on world markets in the spices trade 2000-2004 can be downloaded.

Marketing manual and web directory for organic spices, herbs and essential oils
With this manual ITC targets producers and exporters in developing countries and transition economies but hopes that it os also useful for other companies, organizations and individuals interested in developing export trade in organic spices, herbs and essential oils.

Sustainability support organizations

Corporate Social Responsibility platform in the Netherlands - MVO-Nederland
A large platform in the Netherlands on Corporate Social Responsibility is MVO-Nederland. It focuses on small to medium sized enterprises. On its website the organization provides information about international social responsibility standards like ISO 26000, networks, CSR training & education as well as a set of tools for enterprises to incorporate CSR into their businesses. The website is in Dutch. A useful booklet: the CSR passport is available in English and can be downloaded.

Netherlands National Contact Point (NCP) - CSR starting point for international entrepreneurship
The Netherlands National Contact Point (NCP) is the CSR starting point for international entrepreneurship. The NCP supports businesses in putting OECD guidelines into practice. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has developed guidelines on social themes of general concern that have become an intrinsic part of international entreprise.

Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and CSR
The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) is active in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility and enhances the contribution of international investments to sustainable development.

Sustainability Standards (organizations)

Business Social Compliance Initiative – BSCI
BSCI is the broadest business-driven platform for the improvement of social compliance in the global supply chain. It is a non-profit organization with its headquarters in Brussels with has the ultimate goal of improving the working conditions in the global supply chain worldwide.

EU - Ecolabel
The European Ecolabel is a voluntary scheme, established in 1992 to encourage businesses to market products and services that are kinder to the environment. EU Ecolabel is part of a broader action plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production and Sustainable Industrial Policy adopted by the Commission on 16 July 2008.

Fair Trade Labelling Organizations International (FLO)
The Fair Trade Labelling Organizations International (FLO) consists of 24 organizations working to secure a better deal for producers. They own the FAIRTRADE Mark - the product label that certifies international Fairtrade standards have been met.

Fairtrade standards for herbs and spices for small farmers’ organizations
This documents contains additional information to the generic standards for small farmers’ organizations which can be found on the FLO website.

GlobalGAP
GlobalGAP sets voluntary standards for the certification of production processes of agricultural (including aquaculture) products around the globe. It serves as a practical manual for Good Agricultural Practice (G.A.P.) anywhere in the world. The basis is an equal partnership of agricultural producers and retailers who wish to establish efficient certification standards and procedures.

International Labour Standards – ILO
The International Labour Organization has a special website dedicated to International labour standards. Here you will find an introduction to and subjects covered by these standards. Further, one finds information on events, meetings, training, campaigns as well as publications, reports and statistics and databases.

Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil - RSPO
In response to the urgent and pressing global call for sustainably produced palm oil, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) was formed in 2004 with the objective of promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards and engagement of stakeholders. The RSPO website presents information about the organization, news, information on projects and working groups. RSPO’s newsletters can be downloaded as well.

Roundtable for a Sustainable Cocoa Economy - RSCE
The RSCE is an initiative for dialogue and sustainability amongst all stakeholders in the cocoa economy. Its website is a platform for the exchange of best known practices, discussion fora on cocoa topics ranging from crop pests, over value chain management to certification schemes.

ISO - International Organization for Standardization- guidelines for social responsibility (SR)
ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, has decided to launch the development of an International Standard providing guidelines for social responsibility (SR). The guidance standard will be published in 2010 as ISO 26000 and be voluntary to use. It will not include requirements and will thus not be a certification standard.

Rainforest Alliance
This US-based organization certifies farms that fulfil certain standards to protect wildlife, wild lands, workres’ rights and local communities. The certification scheme also covers forestry and tourism.

UTZ Certified
UTZ Certified has grown to be one of the leading coffee certification programs worldwide, and is now expanding to become a multi-commodity program. UTZ also creates opportunities for farmers to improve their business practices and meet market expectations.

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