RTRS and ABIOVE promote cooperation and certification in Brazil
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed to strengthen and expand collaboration between the two organizations, with the aim of promoting certification and sharing strategic knowledge, in the context of the RTRS International Conference.
The Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) has included in its strategic plan the promotion of local initiatives and jurisdictional approaches that involve sectoral engagement, with the purpose of fostering the growth of production, trade, and the use of responsible soy. In this context, RTRS and the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (ABIOVE) formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the RTRS International Conference 2024, “Towards a Regenerative Transition”, on November 20 in Ghent, Belgium.
The MoU aims to establish and develop cooperative relationships around the following objectives:
- Benchmarking the RTRS Standard for Responsible Soy Production with the ABIOVE AgroPlus program checklist, an initiative that trains rural producers of various crops.
- Developing groups of producers from the AgroPlus program with a focus on RTRS certification.
- Collaborating in seminars, workshops, symposia, or colloquia.
- Conducting training and awareness activities for producers, along with other actions agreed upon by both parties.
Regarding the signing of the MoU, Luiza Bruscato, Global Executive Director of RTRS, stated: “This Memorandum strengthens the joint commitment of RTRS and ABIOVE to promote the growth of sustainable agricultural production in Brazil. We believe in the value of synergistic work and will continue investing in the dissemination and awareness of our joint activities to foster sustainable soy supply chains.”
Pedro Moré García, Sustainability Coordinator at ABIOVE, present at the RTRS International Conference, highlighted: “It is a pleasure for ABIOVE to establish this partnership with RTRS to improve the operation of the Brazilian value chain. We are confident that this MoU will help support producers in obtaining certification, in addition to providing a new benefit to participants in the AgroPlus program. We trust this collaboration will bring positive results for all involved.”
For his part, Bernardo Pires, Sustainability Director at ABIOVE, stated that the partnership between RTRS and ABIOVE within the AgroPlus program represents a milestone for improving the economic, social, and environmental management of Brazilian rural properties. Thanks to technical assistance and training, producers and their respective farms will be prepared for the international certification process, and those already certified will continue to maintain their status. This will further elevate the level of excellence in Brazilian soybean production to meet the most demanding markets.
RTRS participation in the ABIOVE sustainability committee meeting
On October 3, RTRS participated in the ABIOVE sustainability committee meeting, which brings together sustainability leaders from the associated companies. During the meeting, various national and international issues related to the sustainability of soy were discussed.
At this meeting, RTRS presented the revised version of the RTRS Chain of Custody Standard (towards V3.0), which includes the new Optional Model IV, aligned with the EUDR Chain of Custody requirements. This will be presented for approval by RTRS members at the General Assembly in November 2024.
André Nassar, Executive President of ABIOVE, and his team praised RTRS’s proposal, stating that the new certification model is feasible for implementation and does not imply significant additional costs for the supply chain.
Additionally, members were informed about the signing of the MoU between RTRS and ABIOVE. On this occasion, Bernardo Machado Pires, Sustainability Director at ABIOVE, highlighted the work of the AgroPlus program team, which guides and trains rural producers on issues related to labor law, environmental regulations, and good agricultural practices, serving as preparation for RTRS certification.
