GLOBALG.A.P Named Qualified Certifying Organization for Walmart U.S.’s New Pollinator Health Commitments
COLOGNE, GERMANY - Walmart is making valuable strides in sustainability, and in doing so, has tapped an esteemed new partner. GLOBALG.A.P. announced it has been recognized by Walmart as a qualified third-party-verification program to help the retailer ensure its suppliers meet the company’s new sustainability standards.
“GLOBALG.A.P. is pleased to confirm that farms certified to the GLOBALG.A.P. IFA standard for Crops will automatically meet Walmart’s new biodiversity requirements,” said Elmé Coetzer-Boersma, GLOBALG.A.P. Managing Director. “We are proud to engage in collaborative efforts such as the RPM Framework that enables supply chain actors—from farm to retail—to join forces in tackling environmental challenges pragmatically and effectively. This is a significant step in the global protection of pollinators.”
As a result of this qualification, early adopters—including farms with GLOBALG.A.P. IFA certification—will already be in compliance with Walmart U.S.’s new requirement to have IPM practices verified by a third party by 2025. According to a company release, growers supplying Walmart U.S. and choosing GLOBALG.A.P.’s IFA standard will now have the exclusive advantage of meeting Walmart’s food safety and biodiversity requirements with a single audit and certificate.
“As a company that works with so many suppliers and brands, we appreciate GLOBALG.A.P.’s robust certification, because it helps suppliers meet pest management and food safety requirements in a single audit,” said Anabella de Freeman, Walmart’s Senior Manager of Sustainability and Strategic Initiatives in Produce.
Earlier this month, Walmart announced new nature and pollinator commitments to aid the company’s efforts to reverse nature loss, in addition to developing the Responsible Pest Management (RPM) Framework and User Guide, which supports suppliers in implementing responsible pest management practices and aligns standards across certification and compliance programs, including industry leaders such as GLOBALG.A.P.
“GLOBALG.A.P. recognizes that meeting many different supply chain compliance requirements can put a strain on farmers,” said Coetzer-Boersma. “We are committed to working with [the] industry to ensure our certification solutions provide streamlined options for farmers while satisfying market needs. Our IFA standard does exactly this for supply chains around the globe.”
What will this new partnership and evolving sustainability standards mean for the future of the retail sector? Keep clicking on ANUK as we report.
