CRSB Certified logo for beef sustainability now available

The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) has released its Certification Marks and Communications, Claims and Labelling Guide for use in the Canadian marketplace. As a global leader in beef sustainability certification, CRSB’s Marks and accompanying Claims provide consumers with assurances that companies are sourcing at least 30 per cent of their beef from Canadian farms and ranches certified against CRSB sustainability standards. The standards and assurance system were first released in December 2017, and recognize sustainable practices across all five principles of sustainability: natural resources, animal health & welfare, people and community, food, and efficiency & innovation.

“Our research indicates that consumers want more information about how their beef is produced,” says Cherie Copithorne-Barnes, Chair of the CRSB and a rancher from west of Calgary. The goal of the CRSB Marks, she says, is to provide retail and food service companies with a credible and transparent assurance tool to communicate with consumers about their commitment to sustainable sourcing, and a purchasing choice for consumers seeking assurances of responsible practices.

Beef producers and processors can seek certification to their respective standard; beef sourced through Certified Operations qualifies for use of the Marks providing that sourcing requirements are met. Claims and logos were developed through collaborative stakeholder consultation and consumer research, and aim to support communication about beef sustainability in Canada.

The CRSB is a subscriber to the ISEAL Alliance, the global association of sustainability standards, and is committed to its Credibility Principles. CRSB followed ISEAL’s Codes of Good Practice closely to develop its standards and Guide. “ISEAL has had the pleasure of working with the CRSB as the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework was developed,” says  Patrick Mallet, Founder and Director of Innovations with ISEAL. “We are excited to see the progress the Roundtable has made and look forward to welcoming their application for membership in the near future.”

McDonald’s Canada has already started using the Certification Mark (mass balance), and CRSB encourages others interested to contact them to see how CRSB can support its sustainable sourcing efforts.

About CRSB

Established in 2014, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) is a collaborative, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on advancing environmental, social and economic sustainability in the Canadian beef industry. The CRSB drives recognition and continuous progress in beef sustainability through National Beef Sustainability Assessment and Strategy, the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework and Sustainability Projects.

The CRSB’s Certified Sustainable Beef Framework was launched in December 2017 as a tool to recognize sustainable practices in beef production and processing, support sustainable sourcing commitments for the retail and foodservice industry, and provide credible, science-based, transparent communication with consumers about sustainable beef production in Canada.