ofi says partnerships are key to safeguarding human rights in hazelnut supply chains

Three woman holding a basket filled with freshly harvested hazelnuts

London

 

Call for collaboration comes as ofi launches sustainability commitments to improve transparency and tackle poor labor conditions in hazelnut communities

 

ofi (“olam food ingredients”), a global leader in natural and sustainable food ingredients and solutions, has announced its first public sustainability targets for 2030 across its supply chain in Turkey, where 70% of the world’s hazelnuts come from.

 

With a focus on eliminating child labor and improving working conditions for thousands of seasonal migrant workers, Hazelnut Trail also offers more transparency for consumers as the shift to plant-based diets continues to gather momentum.

Ashok Krishen, CEO of ofi’s nuts platform said: “Ever since ofi started working in Turkey nearly a decade ago, it’s been clear that unsafe working conditions and child labor are among the most pressing issues facing the sector. In this time, ofi, together with our customers and partners, including the Fair Labor Association, International Labor Organization and Save the Children, has supported over 20,000 hazelnut farmers and workers with agronomy, labor rights, and community services.”

 

In 2018, the business set a first for the hazelnut and Turkish agricultural sector by introducing labor contracts for seasonal migrant workers, with minimum wage guarantees and legal working hours.

 

Krishen adds: “Our closeness to farmers is key to creating products with the strong provenance and sustainability impact that consumers crave. Our new strategy now challenges us to do more. And we need new partners to help us solve challenges and unleash more value for the people and communities behind our hazelnuts.”

 

Customers, NGOs, and government bodies can partner with ofi on a range of activities to support mutual sustainability goals. From community projects like opening a summer school for children of migrant workers or building a school library, to sponsoring health-visits for female workers or gender equality training for farmers.

 

Starting with safe and decent work, Hazelnut Trail also consists of commitments around education, diversity, and climate action to ensure that by 2030:

  •  100% child labor monitoring and remediation in managed programs
  •  100% of farmers are trained on gender equality and labor rights
  •  50,000 farmers are trained on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
  •  Soil analysis is conducted for 10,000 farmers to optimize fertilizer use
  •  80% of all ofi hazelnut volumes – direct and indirect – are traceable

 

Overseeing these goals, Burcu Turkay, Global Sustainability Manager of ofi’s nuts platform said: “By setting targets and sharing program and foot printing data via our insights platform AtSource, we can give our partners a window into supply chain challenges and reassure customers that their pralines, spreads, pastes, milks, and other hazelnut products not only taste great, but are also helping to support rural communities.”

 

A spokesperson from the Fair Labor Association, which has audited ofi’s sustainability programs since 2013, added: ofi has proven to be a reliable partner in collaborations over the past decade, supporting efforts to increase understanding of working conditions on hazelnut farms in Turkey. The business’s commitment to change is clear. ofi’s education, engagement, training, and community investment have resulted in measurable improvements that have reduced child labor and improved worker recruitment and employment practices.”

 

Earlier this year ofi launched Cashew Trail, its sustainability strategy for the cashew supply chain, as well as targets for its Russian dairy operations and its first sustainability impact report for cocoa. A first update for coffee will be published in Q1 of 2022, closely followed by sustainability strategies for almonds and spices in 2022. All sustainability targets are aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

 

To find out more about Hazelnut Trail, click here.

About ofi

 

olam food ingredients (ofi) is a new operating group born out of Olam. ofi offers sustainable, natural, value-added food products and ingredients so that consumers can enjoy the healthy and indulgent products they love. It consists of industry-leading businesses of cocoa, coffee, dairy, nuts, and spices. ofi has built a unique global value chain presence including its own farming operations, farm-gate origination, and manufacturing facilities. ofi partners with customers, leveraging its complementary and differentiated portfolio of ‘on-trend’ food products, to co-create solutions that anticipate and meet changing consumer preferences as demand increases for healthier food that’s traceable and sustainable.

 

To subscribe to the ofi newsroom and for more information on ofi please visit www.ofi.com

 

 

About Olam 

 

Olam is a leading food and agri-business supplying food, ingredients, feed and fiber to 17,300 customers worldwide. Its value chain spans over 60 countries and includes farming, processing and distribution operations, as well as a sourcing network of an estimated 5 million farmers. Through its purpose to ‘Re-imagine Global Agriculture and Food Systems’, Olam aims to address the many challenges involved in meeting the needs of a growing global population, while achieving positive impact for farming communities, our planet and all our stakeholders. 

 

Headquartered and listed in Singapore, Olam currently ranks among the top 30 largest primary listed companies in terms of market capitalization on SGX-ST.  Since June 2020, Olam has been included in the FTSE4Good Index Series, a global sustainable investment index series developed by FTSE Russell, following a rigorous assessment of Olam’s supply chain activities, impact on the environment and governance transparency. The FTSE4Good Index Series identifies companies that demonstrate strong Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices and is used by a variety of market participants to create and assess responsible investment funds.  More information on Olam can be found at www.olamgroup.com

 

Olam is located at 7 Straits View, Marina One East Tower #20-01, Singapore 018936. Telephone: +65 63394100, Facsimile: +65 63399755. 

For further information, please contact:

Contacts for ofi corporate communications

Nikki Barber

Head of Communications, ofi                                                 
nikki.barber@olamnet.com
+44 7568 108555

Issued on behalf of ofi by Teneo

ofi@teneo.com

+44 7899 908483