RTRS welcomes two new organizations
Preferred by Nature, an international non-profit organization based in Denmark, and Kewpie Corporation, a Japanese company specializing in salad condiments, joined in January 2024.
Operating in over 100 countries, Preferred by Nature brings extensive expertise to the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) as a Civil Society Organization. With a rich history spanning 30 years, the organization has collaborated with smallholders, businesses, NGOs, and governments to address critical global challenges, including deforestation, poverty, and climate change.
In the agricultural sector, Preferred by Nature works with a broad range of commodities and products with soy being one of their focus commodities due to its markedly high impacts on people, nature, and climate.
Ariel Zorrilla, Brazil Director and Soy Lead at Preferred by Nature, expressed eagerness to collaborate with RTRS, stating, “We want to join forces with RTRS and work towards a better future with responsible and regenerative agriculture practices in soy production and supply chain. We find RTRS to be a solid partner to strengthen our commitment to increasing positive impacts on people, nature, and climate”.
Kewpie Corporation, a Japanese company that manufactures and sells salad condiments such as mayonnaise and dressings, including soy in their ingredients, is recognized as the first company in Japan to produce and sell mayonnaise and dressings. They joined RTRS membership in the Industry, Trade and Finance constituency.
Takafumi Esaki, Manager of the Oils & Fats Department at Kewpie Corporation, shared insights into the company’s motivation to join RTRS: “Since our founding in 1919, we have maintained a strong commitment to raw materials because we believe that good products can only come from good raw materials. Important raw materials must be considered not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of their impact on the environment and human rights. As a member of RTRS, we are committed to fulfilling our social responsibility not only in the manufacturing and sales process, but also in the sourcing process of the raw materials used to make our products.”
Our Executive Director, Luiza Bruscato, extends a warm welcome to the new members. “Their decision to become part of RTRS underscores their commitment to engaging in the global multistakeholder round table and their interest in promoting sustainable soy production and sourcing, and adds significant value to the enhancement of our global network”, she said.
