Benefits of joining SIFAV
By uniting companies around joint goals and ambitions and setting sector-wide approaches, SIFAV is driving action in supply chains. Thus making it possible for you to gain speed and efficiency in your sustainability journey. Also, joining SIFAV will give you the opportunity to learn from other companies, access jointly developed tools and policies ultimately leading to cost savings and efficiency gains.
SIFAV Programs
Under SIFAV, all private sector partners commit to the following common sustainability targets within the three SIFAV programs towards 2025:
Environmental: To work together with their supply chain partners to measure and reduce the environmental footprint of priority products by 2025, amongst others:
- 25% carbon footprint reduction in three priority products;
- 25% food loss and waste reduction in three priority products;
- Reduction of water use to best practice levels in 3 jointly selected catchments;
- Implementation of water standards (third-party verification) for 70% of volume from high water risk countries. Click here to download the SIFAV list of high water risk regions.
Social:
- Implementation of jointly approved social third-party verification, to at least 90% of volume coming from high- and medium-risk countries by 2025. Click here for the SIFAV risk country classification.
- Taking a first step in improving Living Wages or Living Income, by analysing living wage and living income gaps in one of their supply chains and if possible, also making a commitment towards reducing these gaps.
Due Diligence:
- Implementing robust Human Rights and Environmental supply chain due diligence policies and processes according to OECD and UN Guidelines.
- Jointly and individually reporting on risks and progress on an annual basis from 2022 onward.
Partners of SIFAV
SIFAV is coordinated by IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative. Since its foundation in 2012, SIFAV has grown into a pan-European initiative with more than 40 partners, among them retailers, brands, traders, civil society organizations and other supporting parties.
Click here to see our partners at a glance
SIFAV projects
Within the SIFAV 2020 program, in total more than 40 different international projects have been implemented by the SIFAV-partners, covering a broad variety of topics with regards to sustainability – including for example health and safety, block farming, good environmental agricultural practices and gender equality, just to mention a few. In total more than 17 million euro was invested in these projects, including co-funding by IDH. Click on the world map below for more information on a selection of projects around the globe.

The SIFAV Steering Committee
Meet the members of the SIFAV Steering Committee. The Committee guides the activities of the initiative and is comprised of eight representatives of the SIFAV partners.
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Stefanie Vermaesen
SIFAV Chair & Senior Advisor Sustainable Business, Nature’s Pride
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Pete Pearson
Senior Director, Food Loss and Waste, WWF
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Leon Mol
Director Product Safety & Social Compliance, Ahold Delhaize
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Jeroen Kroezen
Corporate Partnership Manager, Solidaridad
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André G. Boer
Lead Buyer Fruit and Vegetables, C.I.V. Superunie B.A.
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Karen Janssens
Expert Sustainable Sourcing, Colruyt Group
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Maria Oliveira
Sustainability Manager, Primeale United
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Frederic Rosseneu
Corporate Business Development Manager, Greenyard Group