Standard Requirements and Assessment
Guidelines and criteria for evaluating sustainability and compliance
What is a Standard
The Standard is a comprehensive technical document that outlines key sustainability topics relevant to a specific activity. Each topic is assessed using various qualitative or quantitative criteria and may include guidelines on measurement methods, thresholds, and weighting based on significance. Companies that achieve a minimum required score, based on how effectively they manage their impacts across these topics, are eligible for certification. The INC Certification covers three different Standards: Growers, Processors & Manufacturers, and Global Trade Specialists.
Standards Scope
The Standards are built on the three pillars of sustainability: Environment, Social, and Governance. It covers multiple topics, evaluated through a specific set of questions.
Enviroment
Water Footprint
Biodiversity
Agricultural Inputs
Social
Labor Rights
Non-Discrimination
Safety at work
Governance
Responsible Sourcing
Corporate Carbon Footprint
Achieving sustainable production is a complex and continuous learning journey that companies can embrace gradually. This is particularly evident in the wide range of agricultural practices employed by growers. To acknowledge these incremental efforts, the certification for Growers is structured into three classification levels:
CERTIFICATION
1 STAR
CERTIFICATION
2 STARS
CERTIFICATION
3 STARS
You can find in Documents all detailed information on the Standards for each product and Company type.
For more information:
Trusting Evaluators
The standard compliance of certified companies is assured through a global network of independent third-party certifying organizations, which audit all participating companies. Evaluations by these impartial bodies are essential to maintaining consumer trust and ensuring the reliability of the certification.
For the list of authorized certifying companies in each country/region, see Documents.