February 2008 Newsletter
Letter from the Editor:
Once sustainable environmental and social considerations are integrated into business and production practices throughout the supply chains (producers, processors, food companies, and consumers) the Sustainable Food Lab will have achieved its mission. The work of the Food Lab is increasingly focused on the new ways of working from both ends of the chain, through existing and new supply/value chains to achieve this kind of transformation.
In this issue, we have the pleasure of announcing a large new cluster of supply chain projects called "New Business Models for Sustainable Trading Relationships," and featuring phase II of Green Mountain Coffee Roaster's supply chain project. We continue to learn by doing, by taking concrete already existing supply chains and reaching across the traditional private/civic sector divide to see if we can transform them into engines of public good. We hope these stories inspire you to add your own.
-Daniella Malin
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 SFL and Rainforest Alliance Launch $5 Million Sustainable Trade Project
The Sustainable Food Laboratory and partners have launched a $5 million, 4-year project to innovate new business models that enable smallholders to participate in sustainable trading relationships with international businesses and thereby improve their livelihoods.
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GMCR Organizes New Community Giving Strategy Around Supply Chain Discovery
It took a simple question to uncover a basic fact of life that pervades the lives of coffee growers throughout Central America, they even have a name for it, but goes virtually unrecognized in the industry and beyond.
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A Leadership Lab in China, April 6-15, 2008 (contact: Daniella Malin)
Value Chain Clinic, June 11-13, 2008 (contact Chris Landry)
Sustainable Food Lab Summit, September 23-26, 2008, California
Business Coalition Meeting, November, 2008
Transatlantic "Big Cities" Network, focus on city region sustainable food strategies, Spring 2009 (contact Clive Peckham)
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.jpg) New Food Lab Member Introduction: Catholic Relief Services
As the Food Lab delves more deeply into the nexus between business and the sustainable development needs of rural agricultural communities in a variety of regions throughout Central America and Africa, Catholic Relief Services has emerged as a key new partner.
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AlimenTerra Launches Mensa Civica
A day-long meeting in London, January 21, 2008 marked the launch of Mensa Civica, the European Alliance for Sustainable Public Food Systems.
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 RFA led a workshop at 2008 Seafood Choices Alliance Summit organized in Barcelona
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In other news:
As a result of the Oxfam-hosted Learning Journey last October in Honduras, feasibility studies are underway on a number of products with companies that participated in the trip. The partners are looking for quality export products and could also be part of the solution, helping to bring communities out of poverty.
Last April we announced the start of a project with the Guatemalan Commission of Rural Development. The field work for the supply chain assessment is now done. Researchers have been looking at a supply chain in which the governmental commission helped a marginalized community shift from producing corn to producing flower essential oils for shampoos that are sold into the local walmart. The commission pulled together diverse stake-holders to create this opportunity and is exploring an innovative ownership structure where the producers and community share in the ownership of the core business. Researchers will present their results at a summit stake-holders meeting at the end of March and to the rest of the Food Lab after that.
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Related Events
Registration is now underway for the March 4-6, 2008 offering of SoL’s Foundations for Leadership Program. Peter Senge and Robert Hanig will facilitate this three-day program at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Cambridge, MA.
Sustainable Agriculture Opening Stakeholder Dialog - East Coast, Leonardo Academy and Scientific Certification Systems, Friday Feb 29, 2008
Food Marketing Institute Sustainability Summit / 16-18 June / Minneapolis, MN
BioMarine - The World Marine Initiative, October 19-24, 2008, Marseille, France
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