Sustainable agriculture: quality and certifications
Sweet fruit certifications
The APPCC is a compulsory document (as of Regulation 852/2004) for food companies (industry, catering, warehouses, ...). It is a system for the Analysis of Dills and Critical Control Points that reduce the probability of food poisoning. Through the APPCC, companies control the risks of food contamination.
The APPCC is a system for controlling and analysing the dangers and critical points of possible food contamination by microbial, physical or chemical agents.
Integrated production can be defined as an agricultural system of quality food production, through methods which respect both human health and the environment, minimising the use of agrochemical products, optimising production methods and reducing waste.
Integrated production can be defined as an agricultural system of quality food production, through methods which respect both human health and the environment, minimising the use of agrochemical products, optimising production methods and reducing waste.
GLOBALG.A.P. is the internationally recognised standard for agricultural and livestock production. The goal is safe and sustainable production to benefit producers, retailers and consumers all over the world.
The BRC standard is a global standard for food safety.
The International Food Standard (IFS) is recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) for food safety.
The International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) publishes a series of international standards for a quality management system (QMS).
ISO standard 14001:2015 establishes an effective environmental management system. It allows companies to demonstrate their commitment to the environment.
The SGE 21 standard (on environmental and social issues and good governance) is the first European standard which makes it possible to implant, audit and certify an ethically and socially responsible management system.
Oil certifications
The APPCC is a compulsory document (as of Regulation 852/2004) for food companies (industry, catering, warehouses, ...). It is a system for the Analysis of Dills and Critical Control Points that reduce the probability of food poisoning. Through the APPCC, companies control the risks of food contamination.
The APPCC is a system for controlling and analysing the dangers and critical points of possible food contamination by microbial, physical or chemical agents.
Les Garrigues is the first Denominació d'Origen Protegida (DOP) food recognized in Spain (1975), and was certified by the European Union as a Denominació d'Origen Protegida in 1996.
The DOP is a certification organization that subjects the oil of cooperatives registered to rigorous production and processing controls, guaranteeing the origin and maximum quality of what is undoubtedly one of the best oils in the world.
Integrated production can be defined as an agricultural system of quality food production, through methods which respect both human health and the environment, minimising the use of agrochemical products, optimising production methods and reducing waste.
Policy on quality, environment and social responsibility
Cooperative group Fruits de Ponent SCCL is a second-degree cooperative recognised as an organisation of fruit and vegetable producers with OPFH number 319.
Its ultimate goal is to improve the development of the agrarian world and, thus, capitalising on the resources of its associates, it aims to meet its customers’ needs, fulfilling their expectations as thoroughly as possible and adhering to all applicable legal requirements, with absolute respect for the environment.
Therefore, it strives, as a business, to act according to ethical, social and environmental criteria, emphasising the quality, hygiene and food safety of the products and services it offers to make them a reflection of the customer’s expectations.
To achieve this goal, the Cooperative pays special attention to the following aspects:
The Cooperative's fruit production is based on the fulfilment of the integrated production standards to which all its partners’ farms are adhered, as well as on the fulfilment of other standards of good farming practice, which are annually certified to ensure innocuous, legal and authentic products.
The top priority of the harvest standards, passed annually before the season’s start, is for the fruit to reach the consumer in optimal conditions, both organoleptically and in terms of food hygiene and safety.
The technical team of Cooperative Group Fruits de Ponent SCCL, in collaboration with research and innovation centres, suppliers and farmer partners, conducts research into new production processes, pest control and the development of new varieties, while continuously improving the production system for the ultimate purpose of improving production, guaranteeing the maximum respect for the environment.
Pertinent training and awareness-raising programmes have been established to ensure that Cooperative group Fruits de Ponent employees, as well as all relevant subcontractors and other stakeholders, are informed about and understand the policies, goals and obligations of the organisation, including its ethical, quality-related and environmental pursuits. The relationship between all stakeholders will be based on legality, honour, impartiality and integrity.
Cooperative Group Fruits de Ponent SCCL ensures compliance with all applicable environmental laws as well as our customers’ demands, assuming a voluntary commitment to the maximum degree of environmental protection and allocating all economic, technical and human resources necessary to pursue this end.
We commit to considering the environmental variable in the planning and development of our activities and those of our partners:
- promoting the environmental awareness of our staff, our suppliers and society as a whole;
- establishing environmental goals and targets for Cooperative group Fruits de Ponent;
- encouraging the prevention of pollution;
- complying with all legal requirements applicable to Cooperative group Fruits de Ponent;
- assuming and fulfilling other environmental requirements in a voluntary way;
- and assuming a commitment to mitigate climate change.
Cooperative Group Fruits de Ponent SCCL conducts a planning and systematisation of the various processes and actions necessary to achieve its goals on quality, the environment and profitability which guarantee the future of the productive activity of our associated producers, as well as the pursuit of the continuous improvement of its environmental and pollution-preventing behaviour, becoming more efficient in the consumption of resources.
The company’s human capital – farmers and workers – are its principal asset, which is why their professional competencies are regularly improved and updated and the working environment is designed to be as decent as possible, following the ethical guidelines in compliance with the laws on occupation, hazard prevention, and guaranteeing equality in the selection and treatment of staff, regardless of sex, ethnic group or any social condition.
Cooperative Group Fruits de Ponent is committed to fostering the shared values, beliefs and standards which affect people’s mentality and behaviour in terms of food safety. Cooperative group Fruits de Ponent is committed to encouraging a food safety culture through the following means:
- communicating policies and responsibilities in the area of food safety;
- fostering training initiatives;
- providing our workers with positive feedback on questions related to food safety;
- measuring results.
Quality affects all departments of the company.
Ethical and environmental behaviour is a system of work adhered to by all company staff.
All its employees and partners, who are responsible for the ethics and quality of their work, are also responsible for ensuring the implementation of this quality, controlling its execution and efficacy. All human capital is required to be able to apply this policy.
The management of Cooperative Group Fruits de Ponent SCCL systematically revises this policy to keep it in line with the existing reality and communicates it to everyone who works for the organisation or in its name.