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Action Alliance for Sustainable Bananas (ABNB) Brings Retailers and Producer Countries at One Table

At its stakeholder workshop in November in Berlin, the ABNB was happy to welcome the Colombian ambassador and an important Columbian producer association to start a dialogue on sustainable banana production with German retailers. In an open dialogue, important stakeholders from the whole banana value chain and civil society discussed standards, living wages and various price issues.

Besides seven retailers and importers for bananas, two standard organisations and four civil society organisations spoke with one of the most important producer countries for bananas in Germany, represented by a Columbian producer association and the Colombian ambassador. Among others, approaches for the implementation of a living wage for banana producers and plantation workers were explored. Furthermore, there were discussions and group work around the topic on standards, how standards can help improve conditions along the banana value chain and what the issues are that go beyond certification.

The aim of the ABNB is to tackle systemic challenges in broad alliances and to stimulate changes in the whole sector, in order to improve the social, ecological and economic conditions in the banana value chain. This collaboration between non-governmental organisations and the private sector is supported by the Federal Government. One of the aims of the ABNB is to improve the living and working conditions and wages in the production countries in vertical cooperation with the partners in the value chain.

The ABNB approaches its goals through

  • the implementation of projects,
  • the development and distribution of material for consumer education,
  • a dialogue process with standard setters to improve standards and beyond,
  • consideration and involvement of the political level (e.g. contribution to the achievement of the National Action Plan for Human Rights in Germany and cooperation with governments in Latin America).

The CSCP runs the secretariat of ABNB.

Contact Jana Brauer for further information.

Photo by Andrey Câmara on Unsplash

 

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