ESR Standard - Ecocert

1 Th Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ESR Standard V3 June 15 , 2013. ESR Standard (Fairness, Solidarity and Responsibility). Standard on Social Responsibility and Fair Trade 1. Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT French Soci t par actions simplifi e (simplified joint stock company) with ,36 capital RCS Paris 409 982 709. 36, boulevard de la Bastille 75012 Paris - France th Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ESR Standard V3 June 15 , 2013. This Standard is the property of Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ( Ecocert ). It is protected by the French Intellectual Property Code, the legislative and regulatory provisions of all countries and international agreements, notably by the provisions relating to literary and artistic property and author's rights. These rights are the exclusive property of Ecocert . Any reproduction and/or representation, in whole or in part, by any means whatsoever, which is not authorised by Ecocert or its beneficiaries, are strictly prohibited. Only Ecocert shall be authorised to have the Standard approved by the competent authorities of a given country, through deposit or any other procedure provided by the local regulations or customs.

2 Comments and requests for information concerning this Standard can be sent to the following address: The ESR Standard is accessible online on the website: The original version and the reference for this document is the French version. 2. Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT French Soci t par actions simplifi e (simplified joint stock company) with ,36 capital RCS Paris 409 982 709. 36, boulevard de la Bastille 75012 Paris - France th Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ESR Preamble V3 June 15 , 2013. CONTENTS. 7. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .. 10. DEFINITIONS .. 11. GENERAL DEFINITIONS .. 11. FAIR TRADE CERTIFICATION SPECIFIC VOCABULARY .. 13. PART 1. INTRODUCTION .. 15. SCOPE .. 16. Operators and products .. 16. Countries .. 16. CERTIFICATION 16. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA .. 18. Corporate ethics .. 18. Proximity (Fair Trade certification) .. 18. Priority to small producers system (Fair trade certification) .. 18. Standard CONTEXT AND REFERENCES .. 19. MODIFICATIONS TO THE Standard .. 19. PART 2. AUDITING PROCEDURES.

3 20. INTRODUCTION .. 21. Subject and content of the procedure .. 21. Inspection within Fair Trade Supply Chains .. 21. Audits of operators applying for the Social Responsibility certification only .. 22. AUDIT 22. Full audits .. 22. Other audits .. 22. CERTIFICATION 23. Different steps of the process .. 23. Application receipt/Application review .. 23. Contractual commitment .. 24. Documentary review .. 24. Audit .. 24. Corrective action plan .. 25. Action plan assessment and certification decision .. 25. Monitoring .. 25. Frequency of full audits .. 28. Scoring of Standard criteria and certification requirements .. 28. The four criteria levels .. 28. 3. Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT French Soci t par actions simplifi e (simplified joint stock company) with ,36 capital RCS Paris 409 982 709. 36, boulevard de la Bastille 75012 Paris - France th Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ESR Preamble V3 June 15 , 2013. Criteria scoring .. 28. Compliance and performance percentages .. 29. Certification requirements.

4 29. Certificate of compliance .. 30. Content and notification .. 30. Validity of the certificate .. 31. Withdrawals and suspensions .. 31. Use of logos and reference to the Standard .. 32. Appeal, and complaint procedures .. 32. Voluntary termination of contract .. 32. Special case : non-committed operator .. 32. FAIR TRADE REGISTRATION PROCESS .. 33. Presentation .. 33. Eligibility and registration conditions .. 33. The different steps of the registration process .. 33. Application review .. 33. Commitment .. 34. Documentary review .. 34. Registration decision .. 34. Monitoring .. 34. Confirmation of registration .. 35. Content and notification .. 35. Date of issuance and of renewal .. 35. Conditions for denial or non-renewal .. 35. Use of logos and reference to the Standard .. 36. Appeal and complaint procedures .. 36. Voluntary termination of contract .. 36. Special case: non-committed 36. PART 3. AUDIT 37. 38. QUALITY 39. Conditions for audit and activity statements.

5 39. Contractual obligation to respect the Standard .. 39. Managing the compliance of operations and products .. 39. Compliance control and monitoring .. 39. Producer groups' internal control system .. 39. Communication and advertising .. 40. Withdrawal or suspension .. 40. Traceability and separation measures .. 40. Compliance of suppliers and 40. Respect of minimum thresholds of fair trade ingredients .. 41. GOVERNANCE .. 42. CSR Policy .. 42. Production groups' Fair trade policy .. 42. Discrimination and insertion within producer groups .. 43. 4. Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT French Soci t par actions simplifi e (simplified joint stock company) with ,36 capital RCS Paris 409 982 709. 36, boulevard de la Bastille 75012 Paris - France th Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ESR Preamble V3 June 15 , 2013. Democracy and participation within producer groups .. 43. Producer 43. Contract production companies .. 44. HUMAN RIGHTS .. 45. Discrimination and inclusion of vulnerable workers.

6 45. At central 45. At the individual producer level .. 45. Fundamental rights to work .. 45. At central 45. At the individual producer level .. 45. WORK RELATIONS AND CONDITIONS .. 47. Employment and employee-employer relations .. 47. At central 47. At the individual producer level .. 47. Working conditions and social protection .. 47. At central 47. At the individual producer level .. 48. Social dialogue .. 49. At central 49. At the individual producer level .. 49. Health and safety at work .. 49. At central 49. At the individual producer level .. 50. Human resources development .. 50. THE ENVIRONMENT .. 51. Synthetic chemical products and GMO .. 51. Pollution prevention .. 51. Processing/marketing units .. 51. Primary production units .. 51. Sustainable use of water resources .. 51. Processing/marketing units .. 51. Primary production units .. 52. Alleviation of climate change and adaptation .. 52. Processing/marketing units .. 52. Primary production units.

7 52. Protection and restoration of surrounding environment .. 52. Processing/marketing units .. 52. Primary production units .. 52. Eco-packaging policy .. 53. GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICES & PARTNERSHIPS .. 54. Access to 54. Procurement policies .. 54. Buyers .. 54. Production groups .. 55. Justified Fair Trade profit 55. Buyers .. 55. Production groups .. 55. 5. Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT French Soci t par actions simplifi e (simplified joint stock company) with ,36 capital RCS Paris 409 982 709. 36, boulevard de la Bastille 75012 Paris - France th Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ESR Preamble V3 June 15 , 2013. Fair Trade contracts .. 56. Fair trade buyers .. 56. Contract production companies .. 56. Pricing policy and terms of payment .. 57. Buyers .. 57. Production groups .. 57. Fair practices .. 58. First Buyers .. 58. Contract production companies .. 58. Quality of the Fair Trade partnership .. 58. Buyers .. 58. Production groups .. 59. Development support .. 59. First Buyers.

8 59. Production groups .. 60. CONSUMERS .. 62. Protection of consumer health and safety .. 62. Education and awareness about Fair Trade (Brand owners) .. 62. COMMITMENT TO SOCIETY AND DEVELOPMENT .. 63. Territorial 63. Education and culture .. 63. Creation of local employment .. 63. Development and access to technology (Production groups) .. 63. Creating wealth and revenue (Production groups) .. 63. PART 4. APPENDICES .. 64. APPENDIX 1. LABELING AND COMMUNICATION RULES - Ecocert FAIR TRADE CERTIFICATION .. 65. APPENDIX 2. RULES FOR EXTERNAL CERTIFICATION - Ecocert RESPONSIBILITY CERTIFICATION .. 710. APPENDIX 3. RULES FOR THE COMPOSITION OF FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS .. 72. APPENDIX 4. INTERVIEWS WITH WORKERS AND PRODUCERS: SAMPLING, PROCEDURES .. 743. APPENDIX 5. RULES FOR THE COMPOSITION OF PACKAGES FOR FAIR TRADE FINISHED PRODUCTS .. 754. APPENDIX 6. ORGANIC AND NATURAL standards RECOGNIZED BY Ecocert .. 76. APPENDIX 7. DESCRIPTION OF FAIR TRADE 77. 6. Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT French Soci t par actions simplifi e (simplified joint stock company) with ,36 capital RCS Paris 409 982 709.

9 36, boulevard de la Bastille 75012 Paris - France th Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ESR - Preamble V3 June 15 , 2013. PREAMBLE. Considering: - The complementary aspect and close links existing between the principles of fair trade and those of organic agriculture;. - The necessity of associating the concept of fair trade with the concept of social responsibility extended to all parties involved in the supply chains, whether they are producers, buyers or processors;. - The universality of fair trade principles;. - The quest of consumers for improved guarantees and transparency in light of the increasing diversification of fair trade models. The goals of this Standard , with regards to the natural products and craft supplies industry are: - To vouch for projects combining organic agriculture and fair trade;. - To define a social responsibility process allowing businesses and organizations to position themselves with respect to their impact on society and the environment;. - To define a fair trade process applicable to both the producers of developing countries and the producers in developed countries.

10 - Enhance business accountability of fair trade for consumers and provide more transparency with regard to the process. In order to achieve these goals, the ESR Standard provisions for specific social, economic and environmental criteria divided into seven major topics. The seven topics are inspired by the ISO 26000 Standard guidelines. 1. Organizational governance - Coordinated CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) policy - Clear and non-discriminatory membership rules (Producer groups). - Democratic and participatory operation (Producer groups). - Fair trade (Production groups): o Coordinated Fair Trade policy o 3-year development plan 2. Human Rights - No discrimination - No forced labor - No child labor 7. Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT French Soci t par actions simplifi e (simplified joint stock company) with ,36 capital RCS Paris 409 982 709. 36, boulevard de la Bastille 75012 Paris - France th Ecocert ENVIRONNEMENT ESR - Preamble V3 June 15 , 2013. 3. Employment relations and working conditions - Formalized and regular work - Adequate salaries, social benefits and working hours - Freedom of association and collective bargaining - Staff health and safety - Staff training 4.