Glencore Agriculture has recently received its new International Sustainability and Carbon Certification confirming its continued focus on supplying sustainable canola from Australia to European markets.
An International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) is needed to export canola into Europe following a European Union Renewable Energy Directive established in 2010 that requires all biofuels including canola to be from a sustainable source.
Glencore Agriculture Senior Oilseeds Trader Andrew Freebairn says Europe is a key export destination for Australian canola.
“We had around 90 per cent of our total canola exports last year go to Europe so it’s very important we maintain the relationship and continue to meet their requirements,” Andrew says.
The ISCC is a global certification system which covers the entire supply chain for all types of biobased feedstocks and renewables and is aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, using land sustainably, protecting natural biospheres and being socially sustainable.
Andrew says the certification demonstrates a strong commitment to supplying markets with grain from a sustainable supply chain as well as remaining compliant according to European Union regulations.
“As part of our focus on supplying sustainable canola, we have teamed up with Australia’s other major canola marketers, ADM, Bunge, Cargill, Centre State and GrainCorp, to create a more streamlined and simplified process for growers,” Andrew says.
“It’s an innovative approach which has been developed over two years. It will make it easier for growers to do business with the companies involved by simplifying their certification process.”
Until now, growers were required to complete a separate declaration form and be subject to on-farm audits for each buyer they would sell to.
“The new process – Sustainable Grain Australia, is more efficient and requires less paperwork for growers to complete and the potential for only one audit,” Andrew says.
This method has integrated the existing ISCC grower sustainability declaration with the National Grower Register (NGR) system to simplify the sustainability certification process for growers.
Growers are now only required to make their sustainability declaration once during each financial year which is retained by NGR and is quick and easy to complete online or via phone. When a grower decides to sell to one of the six companies involved, the declaration will be available to the company within the myNGR system.
All growers wishing to sell canola to Glencore Agriculture or one of the other marketers, will be required to complete an ISCC declaration with NGR.