What's Next: Metrics

Nothing sinks consumer confidence faster than all talk and no action when it comes to sustainability — hence the term “greenwashing.”That's just one reason PMA supports efforts to measure sustainability efforts, in addition to the management mantra “You can't manage what you can't measure.”

While PMA is actively watching the efforts of several groups that are seeking to develop agricultural sustainability standards, we are actively participating in the Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC). Rather than standards, SISC seeks to develop systems for measuring sustainability performance specific to the specialty crop supply chain.

Ultimately, the project will offer an array of specific, measurable and verifiable outcome-based metrics to help operators benchmark, compare, improve and communicate their sustainability performance. SISC isn't seeking to tell companies how to conduct business as standards do, but rather to create a yardstick they can use to measure their sustainable outcomes.

Now in its initial phase, SISC is using a transparent, multi-stakeholder process to develop open-source tools. Many groups are involved in the initiative, including producers, buyers, academics, associations, and government and nongovernment organizations.

How can metrics help? By enabling sustainable companies to tell their good stories, by encouraging innovation and justifying technology, and by reducing the current environment of duplicative audits, all while allowing the specialty crop industry to feed the world, safeguard plants and make a profit. SISC invites retailers to get involved as buyer stakeholders. For more information, visit www.stewardshipindex.org.

Meanwhile, PMA's research indicates that consumers have high expectations of our industry. Topping their list was for companies to pay fair wages and have worker safety programs, followed closely by water, transportation and energy conservation. In fact, 20 percent to 30 percent of consumer respondents indicated that they're willing to pay at least an extra quarter per pound to ensure their priority sustainability practices.

Sustainability 2.0 is clearly here to stay, both for the produce industry and for the consumers we serve.