21st February 2022
(Credit: Raízen)
Our member, Raízen, has achieved the Bonsucro Production Standard certification for its Caarapó plant in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Raízen is an integrated energy company operating in Brazil and Argentina at all levels of the sugarcane supply chain – from the production of sugar, ethanol, bioenergy and biogas to the marketing, logistics and distribution of fuels and essential products to society.
Over the last decade, Raízen has demonstrated its continued commitment to creating sustainable social and environmental solutions that contribute to the development of Brazil. Ten years ago, it was the first organisation in the world to become Bonsucro certified, with its plant in Maracaí in São Paulo state, Brazil. Since then, Raízen has gone far on its sustainable sugarcane journey, with this new Production Standard certification marking the organisation’s 24th certified unit.
Even with so many certified units, key lessons were learnt during the certification process at the Caarapó plant. For example, the agricultural area of the Caarapó plant was acquired by Raízen in 2019, where it was brought into accordance with the guidelines of the organisation’s other units. For this reason, work was required to change the mindset of the plant’s existing employees. This was achieved by educating staff on the importance of obtaining Bonsucro Certification, and the positive impacts that it brings for the sustainability of business, the health and safety of workers, and for the protection of the environment. After achieving the certification, the company has a dedicated team who conduct the Maintenance and Recertification processes.
Over the past decade, Bonsucro has worked very closely with Raízen to help it meet its sustainability objectives. José Orlando, Integrated Quality Manager at Raízen, commented that Bonsucro certification has “come to validate what Raízen already has a priority, to act with shared value, product differentiation, traceability of origin and compliance with social and environmental requirements, consolidating the best sustainability practices.” These values are directly linked to Raízen’s strategy which, “encourages a low-carbon economy, offering renewable solutions to customers and partners, and generating the energy of the future.”
Next Steps
Raízen is implementing a programme to certify 94% of its plants with the Bonsucro Standard. As a large producer of sugarcane derivatives, the company is committed to ensuring even greater efficiency in its operations through innovative production techniques that consume less resources. This will continue to strengthen responsible supply chains, that also help businesses to achieve their sustainability commitments and objectives. We congratulate all the team at Raízen and at the Caarapó plant, and we look forward to continuing our work together to accelerate sustainability in the sugarcane sector.
If you are a sugarcane producer and would like to put sustainability at the core of your operations, learn more about Bonsucro certification.
