{"id":635789684066,"date":"2019-07-19T10:38:55","date_gmt":"2019-07-19T09:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bonsucro.com\/?p=635789684066"},"modified":"2019-08-20T15:40:58","modified_gmt":"2019-08-20T14:40:58","slug":"ingenio-tala-becomes-the-second-bonsucro-certified-mill-in-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bonsucro.com\/ingenio-tala-becomes-the-second-bonsucro-certified-mill-in-mexico\/","title":{"rendered":"Ingenio Tala becomes the second Bonsucro certified mill in Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MapSugarcane is an important crop in Mexico. It has history of cultivation dating back several centuries, and today the sugarcane industry contributes approximately $2.59 billion to the national economy. According to some estimates, the sector generates 930,000 direct jobs and 2.2 million indirect jobs across 15 states and 227 municipalities. It\u2019s not all plain-sailing for the Mexican sugarcane industry however, with poor irrigation and unreliable rainfall, production inefficiencies, cane burning and air pollution just some of its sustainability challenges.<\/p>\n

Ensuring the sustainability of sugarcane production in the country is therefore paramount. It is highly encouraging then that 2019 has seen Bonsucro certification reach Mexico for the first – and now second \u2013 time. Ingenio Tala<\/strong>, a sugarcane mill located in Jalisco state, became the second Mexican mill to achieve certification to Bonsucro\u2019s Production and Chain of Custody Standards. The mill sits just outside of the city of Guadalajara and is part of Grupo Azucarero Mexico (GAM).<\/p>\n

Demonstrating Responsible Production<\/strong><\/p>\n

According to Juan Cortina Gallardo, the General Director of GAM, Ingenio Tala looked to Bonsucro certification as a way of positioning the business in the market whilst demonstrating the sustainability of their operations: \u201cWith Bonsucro certification we are positioning ourselves as a global company that has the capacity to generate profitability, with a business vision that ensures reduction of environmental and social impacts that can arise from the activity of sugarcane production\u201d. Juan believes that achieving certification will benefit their client relationships: \u201cWith Bonsucro certification, we can demonstrate to our clients that the sugarcane with which we make our sugar complies with Bonsucro\u2019s Standards\u201d.<\/p>\n

Implementing Changes<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Quotes<\/p>\n

The Bonsucro Production Standard addresses social, environmental and economic sustainability. To become certified, a mill must comply with all of the core indicators (such as no child and forced labour), and 80% of the indicators overall.<\/p>\n

According to the mill, some of Ingenio Tala\u2019s operations were already in line with the Standard\u2019s requirements: \u201cDuring the certification process we were able to identify areas of opportunity such as documenting and standardising actions that were already being carried out, such as everything related to research and development, greater commitment to work in the field and identification of environmental, social and labour impacts,\u201d says Rocio Piedra Aviles, Sustainability Manager.<\/p>\n

Other areas needed more work: \u201cWe have improved our agricultural best practices and processing, as is the case to ensure that the agrochemicals being used in the field are authorised by Mexican law and the Stockholm, Rotterdam and Montreal conventions\u201d, says Carlos Vergara Ocariz, Responsible of Owned Land. \u201cAs per the Bonsucro Standard, we have also decreased the usage of agrochemicals, and the use of water for irrigation has been made more efficient, as well as increasing efficiencies for the process of processing cane into sugar.\u201d<\/p>\n

An environmental management plan has been implemented both in the field and in the factory with the objective of identifying the impact of their activities, and the mill has put plans in place to mitigate negative impacts of production and processing. One key learning was to \u201cstandardise and document the activities that are carried out in the field\u201d, says Rocio Piedra Aviles, \u201cas well as the awareness of cane producers on how they can contribute to minimising negative impacts when carrying out the activities of their work\u201d.<\/p>\n

Leveraging Support<\/strong><\/p>\n

Many mills looking to obtain Bonsucro certification collaborate with other organisations to support the process. PepsiCo, as one of Ingenio Tala\u2019s clients, provided significant support to the mill along with other organisations. \u201cPepsiCo is one of our major customers and the one that supported the mill to achieve this certification, along with the consultancy of Peterson and Proforest,\u201d says Jos\u00e9 Alejandro Guevara Alba, Responsible of Operations. \u201cWe deeply appreciate their support.\u201d Both PepsiCo and Proforest are members of Bonsucro.<\/p>\n

Natasha Schwarzbach, Sustainable Commodities at PepsiCo commented \u201cWe appreciate the commitment of our supplier GAM to sustainable sugarcane in Mexico and congratulate them on achieving Bonsucro Certification.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jos\u00e9 stresses, however, the importance of support from employees. \u201cThis achievement\u00a0would not have happened without the commitment and involvement of each and every one of our partners throughout the\u00a0value\u00a0chain,\u00a0from workers in the field to those transforming cane into sugar.\u00a0The company is deeply grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Want to know more?<\/strong><\/p>\n