WASHINGTON, DC - Ethical labor practices are a central focus in the fresh produce industry. Efforts to improve these practices have grown significantly in the past decade, and that is due in large part to the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices.

“In 2014, The Los Angeles Times published an investigative report detailing the exploitative conditions Mexican farmworkers endured as they grew and harvested fruit and vegetables for the United States market,” Peter O'Driscoll, Executive Director at the Equitable Food Initiative, told me. “United Fresh and the Produce Marketing Association (now combined to form the International Fresh Produce Association) appointed a joint committee to respond to the allegations, and in 2018 launched the Charter. Retailers originally asked their suppliers to endorse the principles of the Charter, but some wanted to go beyond endorsement to encourage full implementation at field level.”

As a result, Costco, Kroger, McDonald’s, Sam’s Club, Target, and Walmart came together to pilot the Ethical Charter Implementation Program (ECIP). Based on the success of the pilot, the Walmart Foundation made a $2 million grant in 2022 to help launch and scale the ECIP as a self-assessment tool to strengthen labor management systems at the field level.

“At Walmart, we are excited about the potential of this program to scale across the produce value chain without adding additional audits,” said Laura Himes, Vice President of Global Sourcing for Walmart. “What we like about ECIP is that it focuses on continuous improvement while offering many tools and resources for growers to assess their management structures, benchmark their progress, and continue to improve over time.”

Many fresh produce suppliers conduct social responsibility audits at their packing and processing facilities, as required by retail customers. Suppliers can provide customers assurance that the principles of the Charter are being applied at the field level, where the risk of labor violations is greatest. Growers can also be invited into the ECIP, where they can access best practices resources, self-assess their management systems, and prioritize areas for improvement.

“The ECIP is a capacity-building tool, not a compliance test,” Peter continued. “It is an opportunity for growers and suppliers to demonstrate that they take responsible labor practices seriously. The ECIP allows suppliers and growers to measure their commitment to strengthening the labor management systems that align with the Charter. Continuous improvement is a key component of the program, and retailers will be looking for suppliers and their growers to engage with the system and benchmark their progress.”

Through the ECIP LAB (Learn, Assess, Benchmark) approach, growers access resources for best practices, evaluate their own management systems, and prioritize areas for improvement. In a labor shortage, grower-shippers are more concerned with recruiting and retaining workers, and improving their management systems is an excellent way to become an employer of choice.

“Agriculture has historically relied on labor, and even with continued advancements in technology, labor—especially in the specialty crops industry—is still a necessity,” Peter explained. “The availability of skilled workers is the number one concern for many growers. That requires us to continue to create positive working environments that improve the lives of farmworkers and respect their vast skills, while also providing advanced training to improve their career experience. The industry acknowledges that there is still work to be done to ensure that farmworkers are guaranteed fair treatment, safe conditions, and well-earned respect.”

Support for farmworkers guarantees progress for the produce industry. Bolstering relationships with farmworkers has already helped companies make their businesses more ethical and mindful of sustainability, therefore providing more opportunities for the future of the industry.

Ethical labor practices will remain a central value of this industry going forward, and we are excited to see how it continues to evolve.