8th April 2022

Following approvals from Bonsucro’s Members Council and Bonsucro’s Board of Directors, we are excited to announce the creation of a new Bonsucro membership category for Franchise companies (the Franchise Credit Buyer category).

The creation of this category aligns with Bonsucro’s 2021-26 Strategy and aims to increase market uptake for Bonsucro credits, adding value to Bonsucro certified farmers and mills and accelerating investment through Bonsucro’s Impact Fund.

Context

Some of Bonsucro’s key buyer members operate franchise models of business and are encouraging their Franchised operations to also commit to, and support, sugarcane sustainability. However, Franchise companies cannot be included as part of the Buyer Membership Cohort in Bonsucro, since Buyer members (franchisors) cannot generally take responsibility for franchisee compliance to the Bonsucro Code of Conduct. Furthermore, some Franchise companies see the cost structure and membership structure of Bonsucro as a barrier to participation.

 

How will the new category address those issues?

Bonsucro is creating a new category, with nominal cost, that will enable Franchises to join membership in their own right and access the Credit Trading Platform to offer support through procurement of credits, the Bonsucro Impact Fund and investments in sugarcane sustainability.

Bonsucro is offering a principle-based approach for franchise systems that is open to any company, that meets the criteria. The offer consists of:

• Introduction of a “Franchisee” credit buyer membership category with nominal membership fee of £2000 per annum, irrespective of size or volumes.
• Franchisees must be associated with a Franchisor, which is a Bonsucro ‘End User’ member.
• Franchisees undergo the same due diligence process as other members and commit to the Bonsucro Code of Conduct
• Franchisee members have access to the Bonsucro Credit Trading Platform to purchase Credits only(i.e. do not have access to tools, services, events and dedicated account management in Bonsucro)
• Franchisee members commit to procurement of credits per annum – initially set at a minimum procurement of 25,000 raw sugar credits (or equivalent) per year
• Franchisee members can make claims in relation to their purchase of Bonsucro Credits

Bonsucro will work with our members to engage their Franchises. We look forward to implementing this new category this year and to add value to both Franchise  systems and Bonsucro certified producers.

 

For more information, take a look at our FAQs, or contact our Membership Manager, Rafael Seixas, at rafael@bonsucro.com