On April 8, 2025, the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) hosted a Sustainability Workshop in Montreal to tackle one of the sector’s biggest challenges: the growing burden of sustainability reporting.
Participants identified the “Assurance Paradox”: while demands for verification are increasing, the proliferation of audits and questionnaires is draining resources and eroding trust without delivering better outcomes.
To address this, the industry is advancing a unified Environmental Charter. This practical, outcome-driven framework is designed to reduce audit fatigue, align reporting, and support real environmental improvements. The Charter emphasizes measurable results, farm-level reporting, and grassroots, industry-led governance.
The full report details:
- The five environmental pillars guiding the Charter
- The strategic actions needed to make it credible and scalable
- How this initiative can turn reporting pressures into a source of innovation and competitive strength
Read the full report