Production Standard
What is the Bonsucro Production Standard?
The Production Standard helps farmers and mills to measure their productivity and key environmental and social impacts. On the road to certification, businesses can increase efficiency, lower energy use, and reduce waste – all the time improving on the bottom line.
There are three Standards:
- Production Standard
- This Standard can be used by all sugarcane mills and farms to demonstrate sustainable production, regardless of size.
- Production Standard for Smallholder Farmers
- Smallholder farming groups (association or supplying to a mill) may use the Smallholder Standard to demonstrate sustainable production in place of the Bonsucro Production Standard mentioned above. The farmers in the group must meet the definition of smallholder farmers (<25 hectares + additional guidance and exceptions).
- EU RED II
- This is a voluntary add on to the Bonsucro Production Standard and Standard for Smallholder Farmers that defines how, under certain conditions, sugar cane millers and their supplying area as well as supply chain operators are able to comply with the requirements in the EU Directive 2018/2001/EC on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources. Find out more.
The Bonsucro Production Standard...
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...is metric
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...can improve performance
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...can inspire change
5 principles guide the Production Standard
The Bonsucro Production Standard is structured around five principles, 20 criteria and 72 indicators to achieve sustainability in the production of sugarcane and its derived products.
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1. Assess and manage environmental, social & human rights risks
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2. Respect labour rights & occupational safety and health standards
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3. Manage input, production, and processing efficiencies to enhance sustainability
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4. Actively manage biodiversity and ecosystem services
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5. Continuously improve other areas of the business
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6 - Organisation of Farmers
(Smallholder Standard only)
Key Documents
For FAQs on Bonsucro’s Standards and Assurance system, click here or download the document
To flag discrepancies in the new Standard, access our errata document here.
Production Standard V4.2
Valid until 31 August 2022
- Bonsucro Production Standard V4.2
- Bonsucro Production Standard Implementation Guidance V4.2
- Bonsucro Calculator V4.1.5
Bonsucro Certification Protocol V6
From July 2022
Production Standard V5.1
From September 2022
- Bonsucro Production Standard V5.1
- Bonsucro Production Standard V5.1 – Summary of Changes
- Bonsucro Production Standard V5.1 Implementation Guidance V1
- Bonsucro Certification and Auditing Guidance V1
- Bonsucro Calculator V5.1.3
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- English, (español and Português coming soon)
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- HCV Guidance
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- Bonsucro Guidance for Operators – Supply Base Mapping V1
English, español and Português - Bonsucro Guidance for Operators – Developing a Biodiversity Management Plan V1
English, español and Português - Bonsucro Guidance for Operators – Expansion of Cultivation V1
English, español and Português - Bonsucro Guidance for Experts – Expansion of Cultivation V1
English, español and Português
- Bonsucro Guidance for Operators – Supply Base Mapping V1
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*Transition Period Policy
We recognise that several factors may impact an operator’s ability to implement some of the new or amended indicators, and that data required by the Bonsucro Calculator may not be yet available. The transition period policy lists the indicators for which an adapted transition pathway will be acceptable, and applicable conditions. Access the policy here
