Know the Benchmark of the Alentejo Olive Oil Sustainability Program
In order to fulfill its goal of supporting olive and olive oil producers in the Alentejo region in the consolidation and improvement of their environmental, social, economic, and cultural performance, the project has committed itself to the development of a Sustainability Benchmark.
The Sustainability Benchmark was thought out and designed according to a co-creative approach, involving members of academia, olive and olive oil producers (pilot group), and other members of the value chain throughout the process.
The Sustainability Benchmark, a pioneer at the international level, identifies a set of primary areas of intervention, critical to determining sustainable production performance.
Primary Intervention Areas
Soils
Water
Diseases and Pests
Energy Efficiency
Surplus or Remainder
Human Resources
The Alentejo Olive Oil Sustainability Program is still working with members of academia, olive and olive oil producers (pilot group), and other members of the value chain to identify secondary areas of intervention to be included in the referential.
Secondary Intervention Areas
Quality
Air
Biodiversity
Regional Development
Heritage
Packaging
Each intervention area has a set of criteria associated with it. Each criterion is leveled into four tiers, allowing a given producer to position itself by fulfilling a set of requirements or good sustainability practices, usually cumulative.
Pre-Start
Cumpre AHome
Cumpre A e BIntermediate
Cumpre A, B e CDeveloped
Cumpre A, B, C e DBased on an evaluation, which will dictate the positioning of a given producer in each criterion, a rating will be assigned for the primary intervention area in question. The combined ratings for each primary area of intervention will dictate the level of sustainability of the producer. We also highlight that, along with the sustainability level, the producer is also assigned a Continuous Improvement Plan, with the set of actions required to reach higher levels.
Evaluation
Classification
Improvement
The reference tool to be produced under the Alentejo Olive Oil Sustainability Program is a dynamic tool, constantly updated with more and better practices, which encourages producers to constantly evolve their sustainable performance.
