Gap analysis to support due diligence in the avocado and pineapple sectors| Markets and Trade | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Supporting due diligence in the avocado and pineapple sectors

Due diligence is an important element of responsible business conduct.

FAO has developed a set of tools to help farms and companies compare the standards and policies they use with the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains, the global benchmark for due diligence and responsible business conduct in the agricultural sector.

Due diligence is the process through which companies identify, assess, mitigate, prevent, remedy and report on how they address the actual and potential negative impacts of their activities and those of their suppliers and business partners. Doing so helps them avoid activities along their value chains that could have negative impacts on the environment and on people’s livelihoods and well-being. Due diligence can improve farms’ or companies’ business performance, increase sustainability and strengthen resilience to external shocks. In many countries, newly passed or proposed laws require companies to carry out risk-based due diligence to identify, assess, mitigate, prevent, and account for how they address actual and potential adverse impacts of their activities and those of their suppliers and business partners.

Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) are often used by tropical fruit producers and companies seeking to manage risks and to comply with the requirements of international markets. However, the usefulness of VSS in supporting due diligence depends in part on how aligned the standards are with international expectations and regulations. To help companies make an initial analysis of this alignment, FAO has developed:

The gap analysis tool is free, easy and quick to use. Once downloaded, it works completely offline and does not require an internet connection. Please consult the guide before using the tool. The gap analysis results are available only to the company using the tool, which ensures total confidentiality. By completing the gap analysis, the farm or company will obtain:

an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of its internal policies and standards;
guidance on prioritizing areas for improvement; and
practical ideas on how the farm or company can carry out due diligence.

FAO is also building evidence to support our understanding of the impact that VSS have on the trade of tropical fruits:

The impact of voluntary sustainability standards on banana exports.

Publications

Gap analysis to support due diligence in the avocado and pineapple sectors

04/12/2023

The FAO-led project "Building responsible global value chains for the sustainable production and trade of tropical fruits" (GCP/GLO/022/GER) (the Responsible Fruit Project) supports industry actors in the avocado and pineapple sectors in developing risk-based due diligence systems to help them become more sustainable and resilient to shocks, such as climate-related events, pest outbreaks and economic recessions.

Gap analysis tool to strengthen the management of sustainability risks in tropical fruit value chains

27/10/2022

This technical brief describes a gap analysis tool that enables companies in the avocado and pineapple sectors to compare their policies and the voluntary standards they use with key due diligence recommendations of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains.