After a nearly year-long validation process, ingredient supplier Cargill’s stevia sustainability program received a benchmark at Silver level from SAI (Sustainable Agriculture Initiative) Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) 3.0. The company is the first stevia producer to achieve this distinction for its entire grower network.
 
The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative is a Belgian nonprofit seeking to accelerate the widespread adoption of sustainable practices across food systems. 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 standard was independently audited to assess practices across 11 sustainability topics including labor conditions, water management, air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions. The FSA silver benchmark applies to Cargill’s 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.”
 
According to the company, stevia standards were virtually nonexistent at the time Cargill entered this market. “That reality prompted Cargill to develop its Stevia Sustainability Agricultural Standard, assuring customers that its leaf-based stevia products meet the highest standards for quality and sustainability practices,” the company reports.
 
Cargill addresses its criteria in four domains, including agronomy, environment, social, and economic sustainability, and confirms its compliance through third-party audits to affirm its standards are being followed.
 
“With this distinction, our entire stevia portfolio has now been validated and verified by independent third-parties as one of the most sustainable stevia programs in the world,” said Stuart Schulz, business process manager and manager of Cargill’s stevia leaf sustainability program. “Last year, we completed an independent third-party life cycle analysis on EverSweet, our stevia sweetener made via fermentation. Now the stevia agricultural standard we’ve had in place since 2013 has been validated by FSA. Taken together, these steps give our customers a level of confidence no other stevia supplier can offer.”