the version 5.2 of the Bonsucro Production Standard was published in July 2023 and includes a number of updates over version 5.1, released on 2022.
Changes include an increased focus on biodiversity and ecosystem services, more specific requirements for water management, new requirements for the use of pesticides and fertilizers, greater emphasis on human rights, and improvements in community participation.
Principle 1: Assess and manage environmental risks, social and rights humans
There were no major changes in the beginning 1 from Default from previous version to current version, however, it is worth highlighting the approach of each criterion in the version 5.2:
- Criterion 1.1: Risk assessment should include an analysis of the social context, environmental and human rights property. This means that companies must consider the impacts of their operations on local communities., on the environment and human rights, beyond the traditional environmental impacts.
- Criterion 1.2: Risk management should include an action plan to mitigate identified risks. This action plan must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely.
- Criterion 1.3: Risk monitoring and communication must be carried out on an ongoing basis. This means that companies must monitor risks regularly and communicate the results to relevant stakeholders..
- Criterion 1.4: Continuous improvement should be driven by the results of risk monitoring and communication. Therefore, companies should use monitoring and reporting results to identify areas for improvement and implement them.
Principle 2: Respect labor rights and safety and health standards at work
At the beginning 2 there were some changes, the version 5.2 treats the criteria as follows:
- Criterion 2.1: The criterion further requires companies to comply with all applicable laws and regulations related to labor rights and occupational safety and health standards.. currently, companies are required to have a system for managing occupational safety and health legislation (SST) in effect. Furthermore, companies are required to conduct regular OSH training for all workers.
- Criterion 2.2: The criterion 2.2 of the Bonsucro production standard 5.2 requires companies to provide all workers with (including migrants, seasonal and other temporary workers) benefits and wages sufficient to achieve an adequate standard of living. This means that companies must ensure that workers are paid a wage that is sufficient to meet their basic needs., how to feed, home, health, education and transportation. Companies must also provide workers with social benefits, like health insurance, life insurance and paid leave. The criterion 2.2 is important because it helps ensure that workers in the sugarcane industry are fairly paid and have access to the resources they need to live a life of dignity. By requiring companies to provide sufficient benefits and wages to their workers, the Bonsucro production standard helps promote social justice and corporate responsibility in the sugarcane industry.
- Criterion 2.3: The criterion still requires the operator to ensure that there is no forced labor, Child labor, discrimination, abuse or harassment of workers.
- Criteria 2.4: The criterion 2.4 of the Bonsucro Production Standard still requires companies to create and maintain social dialogue mechanisms that work effectively. This means that companies must create an environment where workers can come together and discuss their concerns with management.. Social dialogue mechanisms must be inclusive and must allow all workers to, regardless of your position, participate. Social dialogue mechanisms are important because they help to ensure that workers' rights are respected. They also help to improve relations between workers and management and can lead to improvements in working conditions..
- Criteria 2.5: The criterion 2.5 is still “The use of land and water resources does not prejudice the legal rights, customary or used by indigenous peoples and local communities”, where the operator has yet to demonstrate that it has identified and documented any legal and/or customary rights in relation to land and water use, and that it participates in good faith in applicable legal processes and takes appropriate action in accordance with national law to resolve any conflict related to land or water.
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