26th May 2021

Bonsucro has published its new five-year strategic plan. It reflects our confidence in the future of sustainable sugarcane and the contribution Bonsucro will make to the UN Global Goals and climate action.

Bonsucro now has over 260 members in more than 50 countries and certified mills in nine out of the top ten sugarcane producing countries. Collectively, we have achieved a lot over the last decade. But we are excited to make an even bigger impact working with our members and partners.

The strategy sets out our ambitions to collectively accelerate the sustainable production and uses of sugarcane through three strategic aims:

• Create shared value across the supply chain
• Improve the environmental impact of sugarcane
• Strengthen human rights and decent work in sugarcane farming and milling.

Bonsucro will combine the strengths of its globally recognised sustainability Standards and its 266-strong membership in 50 countries, to convene the sugarcane sector to create a powerful force for change, addressing some of the most critical issues facing society.

Improve the environmental impact of sugarcane

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions remain the primary contributor to climate change, with agriculture accounting for around 14% of total emissions. While Bonsucro certified sugarcane producers will continue improving their environmental performance year on year, in the next five-years Bonsucro will:

• Lead the sector in developing science based GHG reduction targets and pathways, in line with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
• Address the water crisis, working collaboratively to manage water responsibly and equitably.
• Protect biodiversity, soil health, and promote regenerative agriculture.

Strengthen human rights and Decent Work in sugarcane farming and milling

Much of the world’s sugarcane is grown in countries where working conditions are poor. Bonsucro will:

• Drive and support Decent Work for smallholder farmers, and farm and mill workers, with zero tolerance for forced labour and child labour.
• Ensure safe recruitment for migrant workers and reduce discrimination in all its forms.
• Support and promote gender equality.
• Promote fair wages for vulnerable people, working with partners to develop and pilot living wages in specific origins.

Create value across the supply chain

Certification to the Bonsucro Standards reduces business, legal and reputational risk and enables members to meet increasing demands for sustainability. Bonsucro will:

• Stimulate market demand to increase uptake of certified sugarcane products.
• Invest in impact projects in support of smallholder farmers.
• Increase sales of Bonsucro credit trading platform.

Underpinning the Strategic Aims

The strategic aims will be delivered by six main activities:

• Certification and assurance: evolve the Standards and the assurance system and collaborate with other sustainability schemes to maximise efficiency.
• Impact projects: increase available funding and expertise to support farmers and innovation.
• Membership development: focus on membership recruitment and retention and provide more value to members.
• Market development: stimulate demand for Bonsucro-certified products.
• Digitisation and data: publish stronger evidence of outcomes and impact, deliver new analytics for members and provide ESG metrics to financial institutions.
• Communicating and influencing: create more locally generated content, work with partners to provide evidence of the benefits of sustainability in sugarcane production and trade and help members communicate their sustainability credentials to their stakeholders.

To find out more, download the full strategy or a summary of the strategy and sign up to one our webinars.