PARIS, 1 July 2026 – The Consumer Goods Forum’s (CGF) Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) has granted recognition to the Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) Silver Standard certification.
The EHPEA Silver Standard has successfully completed the benchmarking process for the primary production scope under the SSCI’s Social Criteria, which was set up to ensure that the relevant social sustainability topics are being covered.
The Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) is a business membership organization representing companies engaged in the production and export of flowers, fruits, vegetables, herbs, cuttings, and hybrid vegetable seeds. With more than 120 members, EHPEA promotes the interests of the horticulture industry and supports a sector that generates over USD 600 million in annual export earnings and creates more than 200,000 jobs.
During the SSCI benchmarking process, EHPEA carried out several actions to align its Silver Standard with the SSCI benchmark, including improvements to:
Mr. Tewodros Zewdie, Executive Director of EHPEA, said, “We are proud that the EHPEA Code of Practice for Sustainable Flower Production has received official recognition from the Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative. This achievement reflects our strong commitment to sustainability, ethical business practices, and continuous improvement across Ethiopia’s floriculture sector. It is a testament to the dedication of our member farms and reinforces our position as a trusted supplier in global markets.”
The SSCI benchmarks social and environmental sustainability schemes against a robust global baseline—giving consumer goods companies the clarity needed to optimise their sourcing decisions and confidently meet industry and regulatory expectations.
This conditional recognition means that companies can source from EHPEA-certified farms with the understanding that the standard meets the strict requirements of the SSCI Social Criteria.
Didier Bergeret, Director of Sustainability at the CGF said, “By welcoming the EHPEA into our community of recognised schemes, we’re helping consumer goods companies source horticultural products more responsibly from Ethiopia.”
To date, SSCI has recognised 12 schemes, with four more programmes currently undergoing the benchmarking process. Discover how the SSCI can streamline your sustainable sourcing practices by visiting www.tcgfssci.com or contact the SSCI team.
