Archer Daniels Midland Co. (ADM) announced Nov. 24 that the ADM Responsible Soybean Standard, the company's certification program for global soy suppliers, has been recognized by the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation (FEFAC) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) as meeting FEFAC’s Soy Sourcing Guidelines, a customized benchmarking system for responsible soy program.

ADM’s Responsible Soybean Standard passed the review in September, making ADM among the first private standard-owners in compliance with FEFAC guidelines. FEFAC and ITC recently published the benchmarking results of the eight sustainability standards that passed review, ADM announced.

"The ADM Responsible Soybean Standard reinforces our commitment to the responsible and sustainable development of agriculture worldwide," said Albrecht Baetge, ADM sustainability manager Europe. "We support FEFAC and ITC's efforts to harmonize sustainability standards throughout the industry, and were confident that our certification standard would meet the Soy Sourcing Guidelines."

The results of the benchmarking assessments will be shown on ITC’s online benchmark tool, as well as on the ITC’s Standards Map for sustainable trade, where they can be compared with other sustainability standards.

The ADM Responsible Soybean Standard was launched in March to offer ADM's customers in Europe and other regions protein meal made from sustainably grown soybeans. Participating growers are audited based on their adherence to a broad set of social, environmental, legal and agronomic standards, including their labor practices, water and soil usage, solid waste management, observance of land rights, legal compliance and the responsible use of fertilizers.

"By providing third-party assessment and verification of soy sustainability standards, and laying out industry-wide principles for sustainable development, FEFAC and the ITC are helping build a more responsible soy value chain," said John Grossmann, president of ADM Oilseeds European crush and origination. "We are proud to work with these organizations and offer our European customers a wide portfolio of sustainable soy products certified by ISCC PLUS, the U.S. Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol and, especially, the ADM Responsible Soybean Standard.”