Social certification Trends

2022-06-14T08:24:40+00:00June 14th, 2022|Tags: , , , , , , , |

  Social issues across global value chains have received more attention over the past years. Standards serve as a tool to ensure good social practices. But with over 400 sustainability schemes to choose from, how do you find the best one for your business? ProFound consultants Lisanne Groothuis and Jolanda van Hal researched just that. On behalf of CBI, the Center for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries, they identified current trends in social standards, compared the main standards on the market and developed guidelines to help exporters find the best one for them. The study and webinar [Read more]

How to choose the right social certification for my company?

2022-07-05T09:56:42+00:00June 14th, 2022|Tags: , , , , , , , |

As an exporter, you should choose a social certification standard that fits your company best. To determine which standard fits your needs you will need to determine your objectives and compare the different standards available to see which one helps you meet them. We have developed three important steps to guide you on this process. Determine your needs and objectives You should look for standards that help you achieve your objective and goal. Maybe you have a buyer that wants you to certify according to a specific standard before you can become a supplier. You can also use standards [Read more]

Green Rhino in motion 2019!

2020-03-04T09:21:53+00:00January 17th, 2020|Tags: , , , , , |

ProFound’s sister company in Kenya Green Rhino  witnessed much progress in 2019. Training of the Jarine team on value of HGC to aggregators (Green Rhino 2019) Kenyan food safety: the core of Green Rhino activities We finalised activities under SNV’s ‘Kenya Market-led Horticulture Programme (HortIMPACT)’. Working hard on demand and supply side factors to improve food safety issues in Kenya. We organised Producer-Farmer and Consumer Focus Group discussions concerning our focus products tomatoes and leafy vegetables. Moreover, the 3 pilots on food safety protocols with a producer group, a processor, a supermarket and restaurant chain continued. SNV [Read more]

Building our expertise for coffee and cocoa sectors

2023-10-12T09:27:06+00:00November 27th, 2019|Tags: , , , , |

We shared earlier this year that CBI chose ProFound to conduct their new market intellingence on coffee and cocoa sectors. An essential part of our coffee and cocoa market intelligence work for CBI is to gather first-hand information. For instance, we collect the market information through company visits and events. Visiting companies in Switzerland Lisanne Groothuis and associate consultant Gustavo Ferro went to Switzerland in November to visit companies active in coffee and cocoa sectors. Our consultants spoke with representatives of Pronatec, a sustainable sourcing company specialized in cocoa and other ingredients. They also met with micro-roaster Röstlabor, one [Read more]

ProFound in South Africa – outcomes from the CBI project

2020-03-04T09:54:53+00:00July 5th, 2019|Tags: , , , , , , , , |

CBI’s Export Programme Natural Ingredients in South Africa has been concluded. ProFound has supported CBIs activities in the natural ingredients sector in South Africa since early 2014. What have we achieved on behalf of CBI in those years? First Natural Ingredients and Cosmetics Export Strategy of South Africa Stakeholders in South Africa’s natural ingredients sector were facing the same bottlenecks and leaving good opportunities untapped. However, they didn’t work together to overcome these problems. We joined up with CBI Business Support Organisation Development expert Jim Tersteeg to change this situation. Starting with bringing these stakeholders together. Making an exporter [Read more]

ProFound wins CBI tenders: market intelligence on cocoa and coffee sectors

2020-03-04T09:58:27+00:00June 7th, 2019|Tags: , , , , |

CBI chose ProFound to conduct their new market research on the coffee and cocoa sectors. For the next four years, our expert in coffee and cocoa, Lisanne Groothuis and Gustavo Ferro, are investigating these sectors. The aim is to strengthen the competitive position of coffee and cocoa producers and exporters. For these studies we analyse key and emerging trade flows between producing countries and the European market. We also look at the main trends in the European coffee and cocoa sectors. Using these inputs, we carefully set out all buyer requirements and give practical tips to producers and exporters. [Read more]

Export development project in Indonesia for natural ingredients

2020-03-04T10:18:49+00:00May 24th, 2019|Tags: , , , , , , |

CBI (the Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries) recently launched its new export development project in Indonesia. In this project CBI cooperates with the German Import Promotion Desk (IPD) and the Indonesian Ministry of Industry. Robbie Hogervorst joined IPD and CBI's mission to launch the project. 100 companies producing and exporting essential oils, botanical extracts and seaweed extracts participated in two national workshops. During these workshops the participants learned about opportunities on the EU market and requirements to reach this market. Moreover, they heard how the project could support them to enter Europe successfully with sustainable, [Read more]

Tunisian and Balkan BSOs’ steep learning curve at HI/NI trade fair Frankfurt

2019-04-12T14:15:56+00:00December 5th, 2018|Tags: , , , , , , |

ProFound’s senior consultant Gustavo Ferro attended the Health Ingredients / Natural Ingredients trade fair in Frankfurt. He was supporting SIPPO in a series of capacity-building activities for Business Support Organisations from Tunisia and the Balkans. For example learning from orientation meetings with European buyers as well as competing suppliers and support organisations such as CBI. In addition to visiting the trade fair itself, the BSOs met with the European Spice Association (ESA) in Bonn and with the European Federation of Essential Oils to explore synergies and channels for future collaboration. Gustavo is working together with SIPPO’s external experts Teresa Hüttenhofer and Andrew [Read more]

Developing a Story for Pakistan

2020-09-14T15:26:09+00:00November 22nd, 2018|Tags: , , |

Founder of ProFound Bert-Jan Ottens visited natural ingredient companies near Lahore, Pakistan, for CBI technical assistance. He evaluated the companies' obtained practices in sustainable sourcing, value added processing, CSR, certification and marketing strategies. "Again invigorated by so many positive encounters and dialogues these 2 weeks of training. Entrepreneurs and service providers/institutions such as Ministry of Commerce/TDAP, Inspector General of Forests, Forestry Service, FAO, Control Union; all actively participated to design strategies for sustainable sourcing & biodiversity, quality and compliance/certification. Companies are making good progress to access European markets.  I am very proud of company achievements!" - Bert-Jan Ottens Our [Read more]

Launch of South Africa’s Natural Ingredients Export Strategy

2020-03-02T17:22:37+00:00October 25th, 2018|Tags: , , , , |

ProFound is proud to have been part of the launch of the South African natural ingredients export strategy 16-17 October 2018. The natural ingredients sector is a key segment of the government's re-industrialisation drive, with vital links to key economic policies such as the National Development Plan, Industrial Policy Action Plan and the New Growth Path. Economic growth needs to accelerate in a more inclusive manner and the natural ingredients sector is one sector that can achieve this. This sector holds great potential for South Africa because the global cosmetics, health and food markets are growing, in particular for [Read more]

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