Building on last year’s success, the WBF returns to Fruit Attraction with three multi-stakeholder discussion panels addressing critical topics for the industry. This year’s sessions aim to foster dialogue, share insights, and develop strategies for sustainable and equitable fruit production practices, with a focus on the challenges and opportunities presented by the CSDDD and evolving sustainability frameworks in international markets.

AGENDA

Expected Impacts of the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) on Global Fruit Trade and National Markets

Date: Tuesday, 8 October 2024 — 13:00 – 14:30

Room: Fruit Forum - Hall 1

The recently approved Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) marks a significant milestone in global regulatory efforts to promote sustainable and responsible business practices. The directive mandates that companies operating within the EU, as well as those trading with the EU, adhere to rigorous standards of environmental protection, human rights, and ethical governance throughout their supply chains.

The session will focus on the implications of the CSDDD within the banana global value chain, specifically examining its application in importing and producing countries. The discussion will explore how different parts of the banana value chain will be affected by these new requirements. Key issues include the impact on banana producers in terms of compliance costs and operational changes, the role of retailers in supporting the implementation of the directive, and the responsibilities of governments in both producing and importing countries. Additionally, the event will address the global implications of the CSDDD for sustainability and ethical governance within the banana industry.

By bringing together key stakeholders such as representatives from the World Banana Forum Secretariat, producer associations, retailers, and government officials from both importing and exporting countries, this event aims to foster dialogue and collaboration, driving forward the agenda for a more sustainable and fair banana industry.

Moderator:

Mr. Victor Prada, Secretary, World Banana Forum (WBF) Secretariat

Panelists:

H.E. Danilo Palacios, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Ecuador
Ms. Laura López Salazar, General Manager, Foreign Trade Promotion Agency of Costa Rica (PROCOMER)
Ms. Marike de Peña, Chair, Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fairtrade Small Producers and Workers (CLAC)
Mr. Emerson Aguirre, President, Association of Colombian Banana Growers (AUGURA)
Mr. Omar Sánchez Rojas, Assistant Manager, National Banana Corporation (CORBANA)
Mr. José Antonio Hidalgo, Executive Director, Association of Ecuador Banana Exporters (AEBE)
Mr. Peter Stedman, Sustainability Director, Chiquita
Mr. Xavier Roussel, Chief Marketing and Sustainability Officer, Dole Food Company

Is it possible to pay living wages, living income and fair prices in fruit production?

Date: Wednesday, 9 October 2024 — 10:00 – 11:30 am

Room: Fruit Forum - Hall 1

The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) requires businesses to conduct thorough due diligence, identifying, preventing, mitigating, and addressing adverse impacts on workers' rights throughout their supply chains. Those adverse impacts include safe working conditions, and respect for fundamental labour rights such as living wages and living income making companies accountable and promoting ethical and sustainable business practices globally.

Recently the International Labour Organization (ILO) has reached an agreement on the issue of living wages recognizing that the estimation of living wages should follow a number of principles, including the usage of evidence-based methodologies and robust data, consultations with worker and employer organizations, transparency, public availability, and the consideration of regional and local contexts, and socio-economic and cultural realities.

In this context, the panel aims to discuss the implications of the CSDDD in the estimation and operationalization of living wages and living income in global banana value chains, from different points of view. Discussions will allow for a clearer understanding of the practical challenges and opportunities that come with implementing living wages and living income in the industry.

The panel will also explore the roles that different stakeholders play in ensuring compliance with the CSDDD, such as the responsibilities of producers to their workers, the role of retailers in ensuring fair pricing, the role of policy makers and the importance of transparency and accountability throughout the value chain.

Moderator:

Mr. Victor Prada, Secretary, World Banana Forum (WBF) Secretariat

Panelists:

H.E. Danilo Palacios, Minister of Agriculture, Ecuador
Mr. Mariano Jiménez Zeledón, Legal and Corporate Affairs Manager, National Banana Corporation (CORBANA)
Ms. Amanda Penn, Senior Partnerships Manager, Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH)
Ms. Nina Kuppetz, Project Manager, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)
Mr. Felix Strauss, Team Lead International Sustainability, ALDI SOUTH Group
Mr. Emerson Aguirre, President, Association of Colombian Banana Growers (AUGURA)
Mr. José Antonio Hidalgo, Executive Director, Association of Ecuador Banana Exporters (AEBE)
Ms. Silvia Campos, Senior Advisor Banana, Fairtrade International
Mr. Jean-François Billot, Secretary-General, AFRUIBANA

Can a Global Multi-Stakeholder Agreement Lower Certification and Audit Costs?

Date: Thursday, 10 October 2024 — 10:00 – 11:30 am

Room: Fruit Forum - Hall 1

Producers currently face the challenge of complying with multiple certification schemes and increasing regulations on living wages, climate change, and other critical issues. These diverse requirements often overlap, leading to repetitive audit processes and imposing additional costs on already financially strained producers. Members of the World Banana Forum recognize the necessity of adhering to international standards but emphasize the need for effective support mechanisms to reduce costs and streamline compliance procedures.

By engaging producers, retailers and certification bodies, the session seeks to discuss the possibility of a common framework that aligns standards and investigate solutions to reduce certification and audit costs through an open multistakeholder dialogue. A key focus will be on how the new EU’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive can support the development of mutual recognition among standards to significantly reduce redundancies and streamline the certification process.

Moderator:

Mr. Victor Prada, Secretary, World Banana Forum (WBF) Secretariat

Panelists:

Ms. Silvia Campos, Senior Advisor Banana, Fairtrade International
Mr. Ignacio Antequera, Sales & Stakeholder Relations Director, GLOBALG.A.P.
Mr. José Antonio Hidalgo, Executive Director, Association of Ecuador Banana Exporters (AEBE)
Mr. José Francisco Zúñiga, President, Association of Banana Growers of Magdalena and La Guajira (ASBAMA)
Mr. Mariano Jiménez Zeledón, Legal and Corporate Affairs Manager, National Banana Corporation (CORBANA)
Mr. Hilario Pellegrini, Executive, Producer Association from Dominican Republic (ADOBANANO)
Ms. Marike de Peña, Chair, Latin American and Caribbean Network of Fairtrade Small Producers and Workers (CLAC)
Mr. Eduardo López, Key Account Manager for the Fruit Sector, Rainforest Alliance