What is responsible business conduct?

Responsible business conduct (RBC) means operating your business in a way that avoids negative social and environmental impacts, both as a result of your activities and those of your partners, including suppliers.

What is due diligence?

Due diligence is the process through which companies identify, assess, mitigate, prevent, remedy and report on how they address the actual and potential negative impacts of their activities and those of their suppliers and business partners.

How does RBC benefit tropical fruit businesses?

By committing to RBC and implementing due diligence processes, your farm or company can avoid social conflicts and environmental damage, which will also help to minimize financial losses and maintain long-term profitability. RBC helps you to identify, prioritize and deal with problems as they arise, rather than waiting for them to grow bigger or be discovered by other parties. It also demonstrates your commitment to enhancing sustainability in alignment with global standards and builds trust with customers, consumers and banks.

To help businesses strengthen their due diligence system and commitment to RBC, FAO has developed sector-specific practical guides. The guides include information on industry experiences and detailed risk factors that were validated by industry actors.

• Responsible business conduct in the avocado industry: a guide for producers and exporters 
• Responsible business conduct in the pineapple industry: a guide for producers and exporters

Voluntary sustainability standards, certification and due diligence

Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) and certification schemes are often used by companies seeking to manage risks and to comply with the requirements of international markets. They can be useful tools in supporting due diligence. However, how well they do this depends on how well aligned the VSS or certification scheme is with international expectations and regulations.

FAO has developed a set of tools to help businesses determine how closely their standards and policies are aligned with the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains, the global benchmark for due diligence and responsible business conduct in the agricultural sector.