FSA

FSA-SAI Farm Sustainability Assessment

FSA-SAI is a tool that enables the assessment and support of the sustainability level of an agricultural operation based on internationally standardized criteria. It is widely used by global food companies to promote responsible farming practices and harmonize their supply chains.

Asian senior farmer working in the agricultural garden of Corn field at sunset. agriculture.
    FSA-SAI Farm Sustainability Assessment

    About the standard

    Developed by the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform, the FSA aims to harmonize sustainability expectations in agriculture, facilitating dialogue between producers and buyers. The tool evaluates performance in areas such as land use, biodiversity, water management, labor conditions, traceability, and input management, among others.

    Assessments can result in a validated self-assessment, an independent verification, or certification under the system. Results are classified into three levels: Bronze, Silver, and Gold, allowing visibility of compliance levels and encouraging continuous improvement.

    FSA Implementation

    Its checklist includes 112 questions covering social, environmental, and economic aspects, allowing standardized evaluation of sustainable performance.
    There are three ways to implement the FSA, depending on the type of operation and the user’s objectives:

    • Benchmarking Assessment
      The operation is compared to a reference standard. If it meets the criteria, it can claim a recognized performance level (Bronze, Silver, or Gold).

    • Verified Self-Assessment
      The producer or group completes the self-assessment, which is then independently verified by Control Union.

    • Hybrid Approach
      Combines elements of benchmarking and verified self-assessment, adapting to the specific needs of buyers or supply chains.

    Why Choose Control Union?

    Control Union is officially approved by SAI Platform to perform FSA assessments, both at farm level and for group or supply chain schemes. We have experience working with sustainable sourcing programs for major companies, supporting both producers and buyers in implementing and validating the standard. Control Union works with the FSA program in more than 15 countries.

    Application Process

    To start the FSA-SAI verification process with Control Union, just follow these steps:

    Register on the official FSA website

    First, you need to register as a user on the official SAI Platform: https://saiplatform.org/fsa/

    Complete the application form

    Download the form available on this page, which gathers information about the operation or group to be verified. It is important to complete it accurately to speed up the process.

    Send us the completed form

    Once completed, send the form to our technical team. This will allow us to prepare a proposal tailored to the scope of your verification.

    Receive and sign the technical-commercial proposal

    We will send you a proposal detailing costs, timelines, and the verification methodology. Once you sign it, the service contract will be formalized.

    Coordination and execution of the verification

    Our team will contact you to schedule the on-site verification. During the visit, the applicable sustainability criteria will be reviewed, and the compliance level will be determined (Bronze, Silver, or Gold).

    Application Form

    02.-FSA_APPL.F06.3_200323_-1.doc
    Portrait of young businessman in shirt, man smiling and looking at camera at workplace inside office, accountant with calculator behind paper work signing contracts and financial reports

    How can we help?

    Would you like more specific information about our certification programs? If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us; we will be happy to get in touch with you.

    Name(Required)
    Let us know what you need, do you have any questions?