Cargill notches another first for stevia sustainability

After a rigorous, nearly year-long validation process, Cargill’s stevia sustainability program has been benchmarked at Silver Level by SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0, becoming the first stevia producer to have its entire grower network achieve this distinction.

The FSA benchmarking system is designed to help producers assess their sustainability practices and support manufacturers in sourcing sustainably grown products. To achieve the Silver Level benchmark, Cargill’s comprehensive Stevia Sustainability Agricultural Standard was independently audited to assess practices across 11 sustainability topics, including labour conditions, water management, air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. The FSA Silver benchmark applies to Cargill’s lines of Truvia and ViaTech stevia leaf extracts.

“Earning a Silver Level Equivalency is regarded by many brands as a key measure for sustainable sourcing,” said James Ede, sustainability lead for Cargill’s sweeteners and starches business. “It’s a comprehensive process that ensures Cargill’s world-class sustainability program and grower network benchmark to the rigorous SAI Platform FSA standard around sustainable production and ethical sourcing across our stevia supply chain.”

Cargill is the first stevia supplier to achieve this benchmark rating.