About

Bonsucro has developed a benchmarking protocol to give information on their level of alignment with the Bonsucro Production Standard to encourage a more inclusive approach to farm and mill performance improvement. It also provides buyers of sugarcane products and other stakeholders with a clear, transparent and objective view about the differences between Bonsucro and the schemes.

Levels of alignment

A benchmarked scheme can achieve one of three levels of alignment: basic, intermediate and comprehensive. Each level indicates how comparable the scheme is with the Bonsucro Production Standard.

Benchmarking is done according to a set protocol to ensure that the outcomes are objective and comparable. Read more about this in our key documents or check out the FAQs.


Benchmarking Protocol

    • The Benchmarking Protocol defines the process of evaluating the level of alignment between non-Bonsucro developed tools, standards, and guidance documents and the Bonsucro Production Standard.

Benchmarking Protocol


Benchmarked Schemes

ELO Programme

Raizen’s ELO Programme is a voluntary sustainability initiative for their outgrowers, suppliers responsible for 50% of the total volume of sugarcane crushed by the company. Developed through a partnership between Raizen, Imaflora[1], and Solidaridad[1], the ELO Programme is a continuous improvement process that addresses the three pillars of sustainability: environmental, social and economic – across 34 themes.

Benchmark date: 08 March 2019

Benchmarking result – Indicators used by ELO at farm level demonstrates intermediate alignment with the Bonsucro Production Standard. The minimum level of assurance required by ELO is second party.

Contact details

Marina Carlini – marina.carlini@raizen.com

Download the ELO benchmarking report

Smartcane BMP

The Smartcane BMP is an industry-led, voluntary system available to all sugarcane growers across the state of Queensland, Australia. Smartcane BMP was developed with funding from the Queensland Government and was launched in 2013 to assist growers to document, benchmark and continuously improve their on-farm practices for productivity, profitability and stewardship. The programme is run by CANEGROWERS Australia, a grower-owned organisation supporting and promoting Australian sugarcane growers

Benchmark date: 08 March 2019

Benchmark result – Indicators used by Smartcane BMP at farm level demonstrates comprehensive alignment with the Bonsucro Production Standard. The minimum level of assurance required by Smartcane BMP is third party.

Contact details

Matt Kealley – Matt_Kealley@canegrowers.com.au

Download the Smartcane BMP benchmarking report

Verifik8

VerifiK8 is a technology and market-driven solution to monitor and verify social and environmental performances in the agribusiness supply chain. This web-based system and mobile application helps farmers to collect data and implement data models for agriculture management. It provides data intelligence and analytics for robust agribusiness suppliers screenings and monitoring, to help obtain a more transparent view of the supply chain and through this, provide evidence for audits and demonstrate sustainability goals accomplishment.

Benchmark date: 17 July 2020

Benchmark result – Indicators used by Verifik8 at farm level demonstrates comprehensive alignment with the Bonsucro Smallholder Calculator and comprehensive alignment with the Bonsucro Production Standard for Smallholder Farmers. There is no minimum level of assurance required as Verifik8 is a data collection tool.

Contact details

Grid Ganjina

grid@fairagora.com

Download the Standards Benchmarking report


FAQs

  • + What does benchmarking at Bonsucro mean?
    Benchmarking is the process used to compare the Bonsucro Production Standard with any tool, scheme or standard that improves and validates the performance of sugarcane producers. It identifies the level of alignment between them and indicates the mechanism used to verify (or assure) performance.
  • + What levels of achievement exist in Bonsucro benchmarking?
    A tool, scheme or standard that has been benchmarked is called a Benchmarked Scheme when it achieves one of the following levels of alignment: Basic, Intermediate & Comprehensive.
  • + Why does Bonsucro have a benchmarking programme?
    Bonsucro aims to ensure that responsible sugarcane production creates lasting value for the people, communities, businesses, economies and ecosystems in all cane-growing origins. Through benchmarking, Bonsucro provides global recognition and visibility to the Benchmarked Schemes and encourage an inclusive approach to sustainable improvement by identifying commonalities between schemes and the Bonsucro Production Standard, the most robust global reference framework in the sugarcane industry.
  • + What are the benefits of having your scheme benchmarked by Bonsucro?
    Having your tool, scheme or standard benchmarked against the Bonsucro Production Standard creates clarity and recognition within the global Bonsucro sugarcane community. Benchmarking provides Bonsucro members and stakeholders with the confidence needed to use a Benchmarked Scheme for guiding performance improvement, and to rely upon it for developing assured supply chains.
  • + Can any organisation have its scheme, standard or tool benchmarked by Bonsucro?
    Any organisation with a tool, scheme or standard designed to improve and validate the performance of sugarcane farms and/or mills can undertake a Bonsucro benchmark. Members of Bonsucro are eligible to have one tool, scheme or standard benchmarked free of charge, and the resulting Benchmark Status will remain valid for as long as the membership lasts. Non-members can get their tool, scheme or standard benchmarked for a one-off fee of USD 10,000. This fee covers the cost of engagement as well as that of the independent consultants hired by Bonsucro to perform the benchmark.
  • + How long is the status of Benchmarked Scheme valid for?
    The status of a Benchmarked Scheme is valid for a maximum of three years. After this period, another Benchmark Assessment is required to regain the status of Benchmarked Scheme. Benchmarked Schemes are required to report changes to their tool, scheme or standard to Bonsucro. This can lead to a reassessment of the alignment level within the three-year period depending on the materiality of the change.
  • + How credible is the status of a Benchmarked Scheme?
    Bonsucro benchmarking is essentially a peer-to-peer process between Bonsucro and an external scheme or peer initiative. Bonsucro has taken a number of measures to ensure the credibility of the benchmarking process:
    – Benchmarking is performed according to the Bonsucro Protocol, which sets out the requirements for the benchmarking process and the levels of alignment that can be achieved.
    – Bonsucro outsources the actual process of benchmarking to an independent consultant to ensure the improvement scheme is reviewed objectively.
    – A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Bonsucro and the Scheme Owner defines terms and conditions of the benchmarking process and communications about the benchmarking results.
  • + Which schemes have achieved Bonsucro benchmarked status so far?
    The list of Benchmarked Schemes can be found above.

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