Equitable Food Initiative says it is celebrating 10 years as a nonprofit committed to transforming and improving labor practices across the fresh produce industry.
Since its founding, EFI has worked with 90 farming operations across five countries, improving working conditions for at least 65,000 farmworkers, according to a news release. Through training programs that emphasize communication, conflict resolution and continuous improvement, nearly 5,000 workers have been equipped with critical leadership skills, building a culture of collaboration that benefits both workers and businesses, the company says.
Partners, pioneers and advocates from across the supply chain commented on EFI’s impact through its collaborative model.
“EFI has used its platform to find new ways to meet the ever-evolving needs of the industry,” Melinda Goodman, president of FullTilt Marketing, said in a news release. “There are no sides, only the upside of strengthening the very fabric of our labor and supply chain systems.”
“EFI truly transformed what many saw as competing interests into a collaborative model where everyone is valued and everyone wins,” said Maisie Ganzler, sustainability author and former EFI board member.
Over the past decade, EFI says it has helped deliver more than $25 million in worker bonuses, reinforcing its belief that safe, high-quality food begins with a skilled and empowered workforce. The organization has also elevated farmworkers’ voices at trade shows, in legislative hearings and at the design table for new industry programs, the release said.
“EFI is not a ‘check-box’ exercise, rather an invitation to elevate worker expertise and continuously improve year after year,” said Jane Kuhn, director of sustainability at Once Upon a Farm.
“EFI has been an invaluable asset to us helping us improve our teamwork, engagement and outcomes as a company, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they will continue to broaden the impact to more growers,” said Stemilt Growers President West Mathison.
In partnership with industry leaders, EFI also helped create and launch the Ethical Charter Implementation Program, introducing the LAB — Learn, Assess and Benchmark — platform to strengthen employer engagement around labor practices. Within its first year, the ECIP has reached nearly half the suppliers selling produce in North America, signaling strong demand for tools that support responsible labor practices, the release said.
EFI says it sees opportunities to create more stability and improve efficiencies and farmworker well-being by professionalizing the agricultural workforce and increasing worker engagement across the supply chain.
