MPS has reached an agreement with the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), which means that the MPS Socially Qualified certificate (MPS-SQ) is recognised and therefore satisfies the social criteria imposed by the retail sector for supplying products. BSCI is an international network organisation for retail that monitors good working conditions in the global supply chain, including the AGF (potatoes, vegetables and fruit) and flowers sector. BSCI unites hundreds of companies around a common code of conduct. FTA is an initiative of the Brussels-based Foreign Trade Association (FTA).
The BSCI code of conduct includes aspects such as guidelines related to working hours, remuneration, compliance with labour laws and the prohibition of child labour. There are also guidelines for environmental and health aspects.
If a company wants to demonstrate compliance with these aspects, BSCI will accept the company if it possesses the MPS-SQ certificate.
In practice this means that companies satisfy the requirements for social aspects related to company operations imposed, for example, by supermarket chains.
There is a growing trend in which international supermarket chains are increasingly focusing on a supplier's social aspects in addition to environmental requirements for cultivating agricultural products.
Retail specialist Remco Jansen from MPS is closely involved in the process:
"As a result of the BSCI programme and MPS certificates, growers and retailers benefit from improved support in terms of compliance with the norms. Moreover MPS is improving the efficiency of the process for the sector and is making the changes that can and must be implemented more transparent in order to improve social provisions for employees in the vegetable and flower sector on an international level.
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For more information
MPS
Arjan van der Meer, spokesman
T: + (31) 0174 615715