SIZA and appelando join forces to manage supply chain grievances

We are pleased to announce that The Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA) has entered into a new partnership agreement with appellando to strengthen the protection of human rights and the environment across global supply chains. This collaboration aims to offer a more effective, transparent approach to reporting grievances, ensuring that issues are addressed with a focus on remedy and resolution while meeting the stringent requirements of the EU Due Diligence legislation. Combining SIZA’s Voice for All programme and hands-on expertise in South Africa with appellando’s global reach and commitment to ethical practices, this partnership provides a powerful solution for businesses throughout the value chain to enhance accountability and compliance throughout their operations.

Kristian Moeller, Director General of appellando, stated, “We acknowledge the work SIZA has done in establishing a sector-wide grievance mechanism. With this partnership, we extend our framework for effective grievance mechanisms beyond Spain, by including fresh fruit suppliers from South Africa into the legally required supply chain due diligence reporting of our European retail partners. This collaboration contributes to our goal of providing a harmonized approach to efficient grievance mechanisms in international supply chains, based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGP) and OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct.”

Retha Louw, CEO of SIZA, said, “This partnership is the result of careful discussions and a thorough process to ensure that SIZA continues to provide world-class service to global markets. It is a testament to the trust and professionalism that Kristian and his team at appellando have demonstrated throughout this journey. Although the SIZA Voice for All is not a new programme, the partnership will strengthen the programme and now position it as a global partner to ensure market access remains to South African agricultural suppliers. Together, we will focus on enhancing accountability, transparency, and compliance, with a commitment to empowering worker’s voice and establishing best practices that go beyond mere compliance.”

Caption: SIZA Chairman, Nicholas Dicey, Retha Louw and Kristian Moeller at Fruit Attraction in France