Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) Principles Approved by Unanimity

During the Third General Assembly of the RTRS, the “Principles and Criteria for Responsible Soy” that establish the basis to develop a standard for the production, trade and processing of responsible soy.

03/06/09 In Campinas, Brazil, the RTRS (Round Table on Responsible Soy) General Assembly approved the Principles and Criteria document that sets off the global standard for responsible soy. Created in Switzerland in 2006, the RTRS is a global initiative bringing together producers, industry, finance and trade representatives, government organizations and civil society entities that are concerned about the impact of soy on the economy.

During the Third General Assembly of the RTRS, the “Principles and Criteria for Responsible Soy” that establish the basis to develop a standard for the production, trade and processing of responsible soy. The Assembly is composed of members from different countries of the world, gathered together according to their role in the soy industry: producers, industry and civil society, that are represented equally.

For the last 18 months, the RTRS and several industry experts have been working in the development of the Principles and Criteria. The document was presented for public consultation and has 5 main principles:

1. Legal Compliance and Best business practices.
2. Responsible Labour Conditions.
3.Responsible Community Relations.
4.Environmental Responsibility.
5.Best Agricultural practices.

This document includes point 4.4, also within the Campinas Declaration, that states: Expansion for soy cultivation during field test period may not take place on land cleared of native habitat after May 2009.

Exception: Producers who want or plan to clear native habitat after the cut-off date of May 2009 must produce scientific evidence from a comprehensive and professional third-party assessment of the area concerned that identifies the absence of:

• all primary forest
• other High Conservation Value Areas (HCVAs)
• local peoples’ lands
Payment for Environmental Services will be explored during field test period beginning after the cut-off date of May 2009.

The consensus achieved enables the RTRS to start to develop each national application and field trials in producer countries, for a year. In addition, the Code of Conduct was also approved also unanimously. This code is a mechanism to promote shared responsibility throughout the soy value chain.

In addition, the new members of the Executive Board were elected:

President: Jeroen Douglas (Solidaridad), The Netherlands.
Vice Presidents: Guillermo Terol (DAP), Paraguay, from producer constituency; Carlo Lovatelli (Abiove), Brazil, from industry, trade and finance constituency; Cassio Franco Moreira (WWF), Brazil, from NGOs constituency.
Tresurer: Christopher Wells (Banco Real), Brazil.
The rest of the Executive Board is form by: Guillermo Prone (ACSOJA), Argentina; Alvaro Dilli (SLC Agrícola) Brazil; Joao Shimada (André Maggi Group), Brazil; Ashis Mondal (Action for Social Advancement), India; Jan Nicolai (Nutreco), The Netherlands; Jan Kees Vis (Unilever), The Netherlands; Caio Magri (Instituto Ethos), Brazil; Yan Speranza González (Fundación Moises Bertoni), Paraguay; Antonio Wünsch (Cotrimaio), Brazil.