Responsible soy production: Sustainability certifier updates accreditation requirements for supply chain transparency

02 Jul 2019 ---The sustainability certifier Round Table Responsible Soy (RTRS) has updated its accreditation and certification requirements for responsible soy production (Version 4.2). The update is part of RTRS’s ongoing “commitment to continuous improvement,” and will increase mass balance volumes that will be available for the market, as stated by the organization. The new version makes it mandatory for all producers certified by the organization to include the scope of physical flow of sourced soy (soy sold through traditional sales channels) in the audit Chain of Custody Requirements for Producers by 2020.

Based on 2018 numbers of RTRS certified soy production, the RTRS Mass Balance available could increase from 1.5 million to around 4.5 million tons, including new countries and regions with volumes of certified material ready to sell through physical flow.

This scope is currently optional, meaning that only a fourth of the RTRS certified producers include this scope in their certification. Producers who include the scope of their certification in the Chain of Custody Requirements for Producers will be able to sell their certified product through the physical flow or through the RTRS credit system (a technological support tool that grants credits to producers for their production of certified soy). On the other hand, certified producers not including this scope (the remaining three quarters) are limited to selling the equivalent of their certified soy only through the RTRS credit system.

The updated version of the RTRS accreditation and certification requirements for responsible soy production adds value to the certification of soy production and has two purposes, notes the certifier. Firstly, it contributes to the development of the physical soy market creating conditions that increase the scale and impact of sustainable soy on a global basis. Additionally, the requirements give producers the opportunity to widen their supply of sustainable soy (RTRS credits or certified soy) available to the market demand.

Food and beverage companies are becoming increasingly conscious of sustainability issues, including the rapid onset of climate change and the impacts that extreme weather events can have on the supply chain, particularly on raw materials. Indeed, sustainability is at the very core of what many leading suppliers are doing – increasing their commitment to sustainable ingredient solutions based on renewable resources. A 2018 Innova Market Insights survey found that 64 percent of US and UK consumers expect companies to invest in sustainability.

And soy continues to enjoy a leading position in market for plant-based protein sources. Last month, Swiss flavor house Givaudan featured soy – alongside peas, faba beans, rice, oats, algae and whey – in a selection of holistic masking solutions to counter off-notes in products.

The ingredient remains a key component of many meat alternative offerings, such as in Moving Mountain’s The Mighty 6oz Meatless Bleeding Burger, a vegetable burger patty that was innovated to sizzle, smell, taste and “bleed” like regular meat, offering a suitable option for flexitarians, vegans, vegetarians and meat eaters.

As with unsustainable palm oil, unsustainable soy production can be associated with deforestation and other biodiversity losses. As a widely used ingredient, building a sustainable soy supply chain is vital as the demand for soy shows no sign of slowing. The RTRS is a civil organization that promotes responsible production, processing and trading of soy on a global level. The organization’s members include the main representatives of the soy value chain and members of civil society from around the world.

By Benjamin Ferrer

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