On Wednesday, October 1, in Santa Cruz, VI Region, the heart of Chilean prune production, a working session was held with approximately 30 producer, processor, and exporter companies, both members and non-members.
At the event, titled ‘The Road to Sustainability with a Virtual Partner,’ Pedro Acuña, executive director of Chileprunes, presented the context of this industry in Chile and worldwide, highlighting the work carried out on the Sustainability Standard, the stages already completed, and the upcoming milestones. This process, which has been underway for approximately four years, reaffirms the sector’s commitment to and compliance with good sustainability practices.
During this workshop, led by Chileprunes with the support of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), emphasis was placed on the development of a Virtual Agent on WhatsApp to facilitate the implementation of the Sustainability Standard. Group activities were carried out to encourage the use of this tool for support, guidance, and the resolution of questions throughout the implementation process.
The event also provided an opportunity to validate experiences and perceptions of the certification process, and to gather insights into the motivations and barriers companies face in relation to certification.
“This standard has features that make it truly unique worldwide:
• It is the first standard specifically designed for the global prunes industry.
• It was developed through a participatory approach, with the active involvement of producers, experts, and stakeholders from the sector.
• In addition, it was created in collaboration with national and international experts, incorporating best practices and specialized knowledge from recognized authorities.
• It provides technical guidance, offering specialized support throughout the entire implementation process.
• It operates under a public-private governance model.
“A sustainability standard for the prunes sector is being developed and implemented, with broad validation from all relevant stakeholders”, says Pedro Acuña.
Join us and take part in this process to certify your commitment to sustainability.
For more information, visit www.ciruelacertificada.cl
