What is the FTSLA?
FTSLA unites mission-aligned organic food companies to make the case for organic farming and processing as a foundation for broader sustainability, and to support us in implementing leading-edge sustainable business practices from farm to consumer. Together, we're driving continuous improvement in our own businesses and the wider food industry through peer collaboration, annual reporting, information sharing, education and communication.
How will we benefit by joining FTSLA?
FTSLA helps members develop and grow successful, strategic, results-oriented sustainability programs. We offer consult, resources, templates, networking opportunities and annual reporting with metrics tailored to our industry. We organize educational events, and facilitate networking and peer collaboration on shared challenges and opportunities, helping us improve more quickly with a greater impact. Whether you're just starting our or have a program in place, we can take you to the next level and support ongoing success.
How is FTSLA different from other sustainability/social responsibility initiatives and organizations?
FTSLA is unique in uniting organic food companies to drive sustainability leadership and communicate empirically based multiple benefits of organic practices as they relate to overall sustainability in our food system. As organic businesses, we have common business activities, challenges, opportunities, experiences, supply chains, sales channels, communication needs and values. These provide a foundation for efficient learning, strategy and program implementation, helping us make a difference where it matters most.
What are FTSLA's key activities?
1) Operational Practice Improvement: We drive the adoption of sustainability practices that represent a high bar. Our members seek to move beyond doing “less bad” and simply meeting regulations, toward positive, restorative business practices; and apply a long-term systems–based view to sustainability programming
Relevant activities:
- Facilitated development of a ‘Declaration of Sustainability’ [LINK] that defines high-level sustainability objectives across 11 areas, including conversion to 100% organic production, achieving carbon neutrality and zero waste, transitioning to renewable energy and materials, ensuring fair labor across the supply chain, transparent and honest communications, and other aspirations
- Developed sustainability reporting metrics to help companies set goals and track performance from farm to retail and end consumer use
- Provide consultation, resources and educational opportunities, facilitate networking and give presentations [LINK to presens page] at industry events to support continuous improvement
- Collaborate on ‘Responsible Packaging Guidelines’ and biannual Awards
2) Cross Supply Chain Collaboration: We foster cross supply chain collaboration and learning that tap our collective strength and experiences to enable efficient problem solving, innovation and better practices.
Relevant activities:
- Facilitate peer-to-peer networking, learning and dialogue on common challenges.
Provide staff support for cross-supply chain projects and collaboration
- Provide a framework and metrics for sustainability performance measurement, facilitating peer benchmarking and highlighting opportunities for collaboration and innovation
3) Communication & Advocacy: We organize cross-sector partnerships to research and communicate the benefits of organic farming in a clear and compelling way, positioning organic as a critical foundation for sustainability in the food trade.
Relevant activities:
- Active organizer of organic voices in theANSI National Sustainable Agriculture Standards Committee
- Work with members to measure and communicate the benefits of organic practices (e.g. carbon sequestration, reduced GHG emissions, enhanced biodiversity, environmental quality, farm incomes, soil fertility, pollution prevention, etc)
- Organize educational events [LINK to presens page] to advance the sustainability value proposition of organics
What's FTSLA's Declaration about and what is its purpose?
Our Declaration represents our vision for what a sustainable food trade would look like and our members' commitment to strive toward high-level practices in 11 areas.
- Organic Practices (Farming Production & Purchasing)
- Facility Energy (including green building)
- Distribution & Sourcing
- Climate Change
- Water
- Solid Waste
- Packaging
- Labor & Ethical Sourcing
- Animal Care
- Education
- Governance (business model, reporting, community engagement)
It was developed in order to:
- help define sustainability as it relates to the food trade and daily operational activities
- be inclusive of different levels of competency in sustainable practices
- allow for recognition of businesses who are making gains across various areas
- provide recognition & marketing opportunities to participating companies
It's an aspirational statement that provides a compass to guide our Members' ongoing sustainability efforts in terms of operational improvements and annual reporting.
It was drafted and vetted through a consensus process over 3 years, involving dialogue with hundreds of organic industry members. It's rooted in science based sustainability principles such as cradle-to-cradle, zero waste, the Natural Step and other frameworks.
Why do full members have to sign the Declaration?
We ask all FullMembers to sign onto the Declaration in order to:
- unite members around a shared framework and common set of objectives for sustainability activities
- guide continuous improvement toward practices that represent a high bar and a significant commitment
- ensure credible marketing claims by requiring members to report progress using defined metrics
- foster a high level of transparency in communicating business impacts
- ensure high integrity in practices
What are FTSLA's membership requirements?
Please see our web page outlining each membership category and its requirements
Does FTSLA accept subsidiaries?
A wholly- or partially-owned subsidiary of a larger corporation may join so long as they meet the eligibility criteria. Full or Affiliate Member subsidiaries must sign a Statement of Autonomy.
Do I have to have a sustainability program in place to join?
No, our goal is to help committed businesses get started and succeed. We offer lots of resources and support to help business get started and build their programs, and results, over time.
What are the Benefits of membership?
Please see our web page outlining each membership category and its requirements
What's the purpose of data collection and reporting?
Our measurement and reporting process is designed to be functional and add value. It helps you see how you're performing in key areas, identify opportunities to improve, share best practices benchmark with peers and add credibility to messaging about your sustainability program and the benefits of organic practices.
A peer review committee evaluates reports to identify opportunities for improvement and recognize best practices. Reports are not graded or evaluated as a “pass/fail” process. This peer review process seeks to:
• assess if members are making progress toward more sustainable practices in relevant Declaration areas
• offer constructive suggestions that support members’ efforts to operate more sustainably.
• determine how FTSLA can enhance its support and resources to help members achieve goals and progress
What metrics does FTSLA use and how were these developed?
FTSLA's metrics and indicators cover our 11 Declaration areas (see above). They include both qualitative and quantitative measures, consider both absolute and relative (normalized) impacts, cover activities from farming through end-consumer use and apply to businesses from farm to retail. Our metrics and indicators set is based on multiple international frameworks such as the Global Reporting Initiative and GHG Protocol. We identified items from these frameworks that are relevant to the organic food trade, then added aspects specific to the organic trade, such as organic production and purchasing, and farm-level impacts of organic practices, as well as more detailed metrics designed to identify and drive higher-level practices in all areas.
Does the FTSLA reporting requirement involve public reports?
No, reports are shared only within FTSLA's membership. Some FTSLA members choose to produce public Sustainability Reports and many share information through their websites and other communications. See our 'Member Activity' webpage [LINK] for examples.
Reporting sounds like a big commitment. How do members complete reports?
FTSLA reporting is an incremental, member-driven process. Members determine what areas and metrics are relevant, prioritize what to report on, starting with the most critical issues and scale up over time. We offer lots of support from the first step, including data collection and reporting templates, staff consult, in-depth how-to guides, workshops, webinars and more.
What if I already have my own metrics and do annual reporting?
You do not have to double report. You can simply submit your existing report to the FTSLA, with an addendum referencing how it connects to FTSLA metrics.
Does FTSLA offer a 3rd party standard or Certification?
No, FTSLA does not offer a standard or certification. Membership, and the use of our member logo, indicates a commitment to our Declaration, continual improvement and annual reporting to FTSLA. We believe sustainability is something we can understand and achieve only over the long term through concerted learning and change, not something we can claim to have reached now. Our focus is on developing measurement and reporting tools that allow businesses to make a commitment to work toward sustainability, demonstrate transparency, identify areas improvement, and share performance and best practices. Our metrics are aligned with widely accepted reporting frameworks (i.e. Global Reporting Initiative, EPA, Greenhouse Gas Protocol, etc.) and may help you assess performance toward and qualify for some 3rd party standards, however.