SCS Global Services' “Sustainably Grown” Certification Recognized Under Walmart Canada's New Pollinator Health Program
Walmart Canada to source 100% of fresh produce and floral from suppliers that adopt integrated pest management practices, as verified by a third-party, by 2025.
EMERYVILLE, Calif., June 30, 2021 /3BL Media/ - SCS Global Services (SCS), an international pioneer and leader in sustainability standards development and third-party certification of environmental, social, safety and quality performance, today announced its Sustainably Grown Certification program has been accepted into Walmart Canada’ new Pollinator Health Program. As such, produce suppliers obtaining certification under the Sustainably Grown program will have their integrated pest management (IPM) programs third-party verified, enabling their produce to be sold in Walmart Canada stores.
Following in the footsteps of Walmart U.S., which announced similar measures in April 2021, Walmart Canada will source 100% of the fresh produce and floral sold in its in-store Produce Department from suppliers that adopt integrated pest management practices, as verified by a third-party, by 2025. These measures are aimed at mitigating the substantial decline in pollinator populations (e.g., bees, beetles, birds, butterflies, bats, moths, wasps), which threatens global food production.
SCS’ Sustainably Grown Certification Program provides a detailed framework for environmental stewardship, including verification of the impacts of the agricultural operations’ IPM programs, as well as extensive responsible sourcing and social responsibility provisions. The standard is consistently ranked among the top responsible sourcing standards in independent surveys. Sustainably Grown is accredited by ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), aligned with the Global Social Compliance Programme (GSCP), recognized by the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) and utilized by major brands as part of their sustainable sourcing policies.
“We applaud Walmart Canada for its forward-thinking pollinator initiative, which motivates fresh produce suppliers to help protect and restore pollinator habitats by phasing out the use of a wide variety of pesticides harmful to pollinators. In addition, Walmart’s efforts are encouraging global suppliers to establish new pollinator habitats to safeguard food production,” said Carey Allen, VP and Managing Director of the Food and Agriculture Division at SCS. “The depth and scope of SCS Sustainably Grown certification is a good fit for this initiative, providing the highest level of auditing and accountability to verify conformity and help to safeguard our global food supply.”
In addition to its own Sustainably Grown certification, SCS Global Services has also become a certifier of choice for additional food labeling, food safety and agricultural certification schemes accepted under the new Walmart Canada program, including Equitable Food Initiative (EFI), Fair Trade USA, GLOBALG.A.P., Rainforest Alliance, and USDA Certified Organic.
To learn more about Walmart Canada’s new Pollinator Health program, please visit their website. To learn more about SCS’ Sustainably Grown certification as well as its certification services for additional internationally recognized programs, visit SCSglobalservices.com.
Learn about Sustainably Grown certification here
About SCS Global Services
SCS Global Services is a global leader in third-party environmental and sustainability verification, certification, auditing, testing, and standards development. Its programs span a cross-section of industries, recognizing achievements in natural resource management, green building, product manufacturing, food and agriculture, supply chains, climate mitigation and more. SCS is a chartered Benefit Corporation. For more information, visit www.scsglobalservices.com.
Contact:
Tom Ehart
Corporate Marketing Director, SCS Global Services
tehart@scsglobalservices.com
+1 510.853.4657
