Bonsucro

Bonsucro

Formation	2008
Type	Multi-stakeholder initiative
Focus	Sustainable agriculture, Sustainable biofuels, Sugar cane
Headquarters	London
Website	bonsucro.com
Formerly called	Better Sugar Cane Initiative (BSI)

Bonsucro is an international not for-profit, multi-stakeholder organization established in 2008 to promote sustainable sugar cane. Its stated aim is to reduce 'the environmental and social impacts of sugarcane production while recognising the need for economic viability' . It does this through setting sustainability standards and certifying sugar cane products including ethanol, sugar and molasses. As of November 2014, 3.7% of global land under sugar cane was Bonsucro certified, with member organisations spread over 20 countries. Bonsucro has 207 members from various countries and sectors across the world. These are predominantly companies and grower associations involved in the sugar cane sector.

Bonsucro is one of few certifications to have developed measures for greenhouse gas emissions, and consequently the European Commission has stated that the Bonsucro standard can be used to demonstrate compliance with the EU Renewables Directive (EU RED) when importing ethanol fuel, although the standard had to be altered to comply fully. Both Bonsucro and the standards set by the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials have been noted as in practise expanding the EU RED guidelines to include other factors, such as land tenure issues as prescribed by national law.

EU market access has been labeled as important by Colombian policy-makers, and described as driving the country's national policy aiming for 40% Bonsucro sugarcane. However, this use of certification in the context of biofuels has caused concern regarding the consequences of intensification in Colombia, although as of November 2014 no mills had yet achieved certification in the country. The first Bonsucro certified ethanol fuel, from Brazil, was first imported into Europe through the Port of Rotterdam in 2012.