A cost-effective approach without duplication: The SIZA Environmental Standard can now be assessed with a comprehensive and combined approach via an add-on to the GLOBALG.A.P. Integrated Farm Assurance (IFA) standard for the Fruit and Vegetables sub-scope. 

The SIZA Environmental Standard focusses on the sustainable management of the four cornerstones of the environment: soil; water; energy, materials, and waste; and biodiversity and ecosystems. Its main objectives are to improve input efficiencies and to manage and mitigate environmental risks on farm and packhouse levels. The SIZA Environmental Standard takes South African producers’ unique circumstances into account, as it is rooted in local legislation, but also expands on risk areas that are particularly important in South Africa and incorporates globally recognized good agricultural practices.

With the objectives of eliminating duplication, driving a cost- and time effective approach, and providing better transparency to stakeholders on a global scale no matter which market is supplied, the SIZA Environmental Standard audit can now be conducted either as a stand-alone audit or as a combined solution (i.e., an GLOBALG.A.P. add-on) together with the GLOBALG.A.P IFA version 5 standard. While the add-on assessment and the IFA inspection and audit may take place at the same time, two separate and comprehensive reports will be issued, and the SIZA Environmental assessment report will be uploaded to the MySIZA online platform to ensure that environmental compliance is clearly visible to all relevant stakeholders.

SIZA has adopted a third-party audit approach in which environmental audits are conducted by internationally recognized, independent certification bodies to ensure that the program is credible and transparent throughout. Only certification bodies that are currently approved for the SIZA Environmental add-on will be permitted to conduct assessments against the GLOBALG.A.P. SIZA Environmental add-on. For more information on SIZA approved certification bodies, please visit www.siza.co.za.

For any technical questions about the implementation of the SIZA Environmental add-on, please visit www.siza.co.za or contact the SIZA Office: enviro@siza.co.za.

For any further questions, please contact the GLOBALG.A.P. customer support team: customer_support@globalgap.org.