At Fruit Attraction 2023, the World Banana Forum (WBF) hosted six dynamic multi-stakeholder panels, sparking insightful discussions on key challenges confronting the banana industry. Topics ranged from living wages and income to the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive, shared responsibility, certifications and audits, climate change, and the use of phytosanitary products and their impact on fruit appearance. For more details on these discussions and to access the full report, check out the section below.

Shared responsibility: different perspectives.

Tuesday, 3 October 15:30 – 17:00 CET

This discussion convened a diverse panel, featuring producer associations from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, retailers, trade unions, network of smallholder producers, and certifying companies, for a meaningful discussion on Shared Responsibility in the banana global value chain. A representative from a major European retailer offered valuable insights on the potential of FairTrade price-setting methodology and underscored the key role of changing purchasing practices in promoting shared responsibility and reducing the economic burden associated with the implementation of sustainability measures for banana producers. All panelists agreed on the importance of setting a fair price that promotes producer sustainability in terms of rights, labor conditions, fair wages, and environmental concerns. Producer associations and trade unions also emphasized the need for increased collaboration between all industry stakeholders and greater engagement with retailers to chart the path ahead.

REPORT AVAILABLE HERE / INFORME DISPONIBLE AQUÍ

Moderator:

• Victor Prada, Secretary of the World Banana Forum (WBF), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Panelists:

• Franka Rodriguez, Director of Global Sourcing at ALDI-SOUTH Group
• Jean-Marie Kakou Gervais, Vice-president of AFRUIBANA
• Leonie Haakshorst, Sector Lead for Fruit and Vegetables at Rainforest Alliance
•  Sophie Boote, Manager for Farm and Supply Chain Economics at Rainforest Alliance
• Adela Torres, Coordinator of COLSIBA
• Marike de Peña, President of CLAC
• José Antonio Hidalgo, Executive Director of AEBE
• Richard Salazar, Executive President of ACORBANEC
• José Francisco Zúñiga Cotes, Executive President of ASBAMA
• Emerson Aguirre, President of AUGURA
• Mariano Jiménez, Deputy Manager of Legal and Corporate Affairs at CORBANA
• Hilario Pellegrini, President of ADOBANANO

The European Directive on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) 

Tuesday, 3 October 15:00 – 15:30 CET

This discussion provided valuable insights into the forthcoming European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), which was approved by the European Parliament in June 2023. This bill will soon require large companies to outline due diligence procedures aimed at identifying potential adverse effects (e.g. human rights violations, work exploitation, environmental issues) within their supply chain, mitigating them, and following established steps, as laid down by the OECD. The two panelists discussed the main disclosure requirements, expected commitments, and sustainability reporting standards that industry actors will need to adhere to in order to align with the new EU directive.

REPORT AVAILABLE HERE / INFORME DISPONIBLE AQUÍ

Moderator:

• Victor Prada, Secretary of the World Banana Forum (WBF), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Panelists:

• Juan Gomez Riesco, Seconded National Expert and Legal Officer at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Justice and Consumers (DG-JUST)
• Pedro Faria, Environmental Lead at the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG)

Regulation on the use of phytosanitary products and its impact on fruit aesthetics.

Wednesday, 4 October 16:00 – 17:00 CET

In this session, European Commission delegates and private sector representatives engaged in a meaningful dialogue on Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) and their implications, in conjunction with recent European reforms, on fruit aesthetics. Their analysis extended to the impact along the entire supply chain, encompassing banana production, trade, and distribution. A consensus was reached on the necessity of reshaping consumers’ perceptions of the visual appeal of fruits, with the aim to minimize food losses and alleviate the burden on producers. This discussion served as an opportunity to tackle key industry issues, including the implications of a new European reform centered on consumer education and food loss reduction through adjustments in origin labeling requirements and the harmonization of market standards. It also covered the MRL setting process at the European level, and the prevailing trends in pesticide use and availability within the banana industry. Private sector representatives highlighted the continued and anticipated challenges associated with these new European legislations, which are expected to greatly affect banana production and trade.

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Moderator:

• Victor Prada, Secretary of the World Banana Forum (WBF), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Panelists:

• Juri Mara, Financial Economist Officer at DG AGRI
• Maria Tabernero, Policy Officer at DG SANTE
• Morag Webb, Head of Science and Policy at COLEAD
• Sergio Laprade, Coordinator of the Banana Environmental Commission at CORBANA
• Patricio Gutierrez, Regional Director of Innovation and Development at DOLE

Climate change: the banana industry as an example to follow. 

Wednesday, 4 October 15:00 – 16:00 CET

This discussion shed light on ongoing initiatives and upcoming projects undertaken the WBF, producer associations, and European authorities with regards to climate change. The carbon and water footprint (CWF) tool developed by WBF (FAO) was presented, along with its most recent developments. Several Latin American producer associations that piloted the tool in some of their farms shared their favorable feedback, stressing the importance of monitoring emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and water consumption/degradation at both farm and company levels. A representative from the European Financial Reporting Advisory group (EFRAG) delineated the general disclosures, actions, metrics and targets that companies will soon be required to establish and comply with, as defined by the upcoming European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) E1 on Climate Change.

REPORT AVAILABLE HERE / INFORME DISPONIBLE AQUÍ

Moderator:

• Victor Prada, Secretary of the World Banana Forum (WBF), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Panelists:

• Matheus Lima, Environment and Sustainability Specialist at WBF
• Nicanor Cabrera, Quality Manager at AgroFair
• Jose Madriz, Coordinator for Banana Production and Trade in Costa Rica at CLAC
• Sergio Laprade, Coordinator of the Banana Environmental Commission at CORBANA
• Pedro Faria, Environmental Lead at EFRAG

Fruit Attraction 23 – “Is an international multi-stakeholder agreement possible to reduce certification and audit costs?”

Thursday, 5 October 15:00 – 16:00 CET

Certifying agencies and producer associations from African, Latin American, and Caribbean countries convened to deliberate on the role of certifications within the banana industry. The discussion addressed two key concerns shared by all producer associations: the rising costs of certification and auditing, and the lack of harmonized standards, resulting in significant overlaps in the requirements between different certification schemes. While steps have been taken by certifiers to address this issue, all concurred on the importance to involve retailers and other industry stakeholders in this dialogue. This collaborative approach will help identify the main criteria and priorities of retailers and prevent additional requirements for banana producers at each stage of the supply chain.

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Moderator:

• Victor Prada, Secretary of the World Banana Forum (WBF), Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

 Panelists:

• Silvia Campos, Senior Advisor for Bananas at Fairtrade International
• Oscar Maroto, Latin America Fruit Manager at Rainforest Alliance
• Ignacio Antequera, Sales and Stakeholder Relations Director at GlobalG.A.P.
• Carolina Jaramillo, Sustainability Director at UNIBAN
• José Antonio Hidalgo, Executive Director of AEBE
• José Francisco Zúñiga Cotes, Executive President of ASBAMA
• Hilario Pelligrini, President of ADOBANANO
• Emerson Aguirre, President of AUGURA
• Jorge Sauma, General Manager of CORBANA