As of January 1, 2017, the certification program requires conformance with Version 2.1 of the Sustainably Grown Standard, which provides a comprehensive framework and common set of requirements grouped into three categories: General, Environmental, Social, and Economic. Customized, non-certification conformance assessments are also available for business-to-business recognition opportunities. Agricultural crops of all types and production systems of all sizes are eligible. Our global network of auditors can complete assessments anywhere in the world.
V2.1 was developed in accordance with SCS’ Standards Development Procedure, which emphasizes stakeholder input and transparency. This updated version incorporates the latest best practices in responsible agricultural production and is aligned with other industry-level initiatives, including:
- The Global Social Compliance Programme (GSCP) Reference Code
- American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture (ANSI/Leo-4000)
- ISO 14024 Type 1 Environmental Labeling