About the CRSB
The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef CRSB was established in 2014 by a community of stakeholders devoted to fostering continuous improvement and sustainable practices across the Canadian beef value chain. Membership in the CRSB provides a forum for organizations and companies with an interest in sustainability an opportunity to share knowledge and collaborate on initiatives that advance the sustainability of the Canadian beef industry as well as the understanding of sustainable beef production in Canada.
The CRSB’s mission is to advance, measure and communicate continuous improvement in sustainability of the Canadian beef value chain.
About the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework
Mission
To recognize and advance beef sustainability in Canada through a world class operation–level certification program.
Objectives
This Framework delivers on consumer demand for sustainably-raised beef by connecting the whole beef supply chain from farmers and ranchers through all stages to the retail and foodservice sector that purchases Canadian beef.
The certification scheme was developed in order to:
- Provide a tool to recognize sustainable practices in beef production and processing against robust sustainability standards;
- Support the beef supply chain in meeting its sustainable commitments, and
- Build consumer confidence in the sustainability of Canadian beef by providing 3rd party-certified assurances, backed by science, communicated through logos and CRSB Claims
Guiding Principles
In order to create a robust system that was also practical for industry to adopt, the following principles guided development and implementation of the Framework.
- Credible to all stakeholders, securing trust through robust assurances, transparency, inclusivity and vigorous scientific review.
- Aligned with the five principles of sustainable beef as set by the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB).
- Effective in driving the advancement and understanding of sustainable beef production.
- Valuable to industry participants and consumers.
- Economically Viable for the CRSB to manage, and stakeholders to use.
The Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef is an ISEAL Alliance subscriber. ISEAL subscribers are organisations and individuals who commit to the ISEAL mission to strengthen sustainability standards systems for the benefit of people and the environment, and confirm that none of their activities or the activities of their subsidiaries or parent companies run counter to the ISEAL mission or vision. There are no compliance requirements for ISEAL subscribers.
The Framework
The Certified Sustainable Beef Framework consists of four main components, centered around Sustainability Standards for beef production and processing.
Indicators of sustainability encompassing the five principles of sustainable beef that are audited in beef production and primary processing operations.
The standards are measurable, based on science and expert opinion, and addresses key concerns around the sustainability of beef production in Canada.
The standards use an ‘outcome-based’ approach, meaning that the practices used to meet the individual indicators in the standard are what is measured, not prescribing specific ways to achieve them. This outcome-based model allows for the diverse ways for beef producers and processors to demonstrate sustainable practices based on their individual operation, as well as climate, region, soil type, production style, and more.
- The Sustainable Beef Production Standard covers indicators in beef production, which covers cow/calf and backgrounding farms and ranches, and feedlot operations.
- The Sustainable Beef Processing Standard covers indicators in primary beef processing facilities.
The CRSB Assurance Protocols include guidance and requirements for the certification process, including independent auditing, frequency of audits and requirements of certification bodies.
They demonstrate that the CRSB strives to ensure consistency in assessments and seeks to achieve equitable access to certification services across Canada.
Chain of Custody refers to how cattle and beef from Certified Operations are linked and tracked through the supply chain, including all organizations (supply chain) that take ownership, physically and/or administratively, of a product during production, processing and retail.
The Chain of Custody model employed by the supply chain determines what CRSB Claims, if any, can be made about the sourcing of the beef. These claims help supply chains demonstrate their sustainable sourcing commitments and deliver consumers science-based, verified information about how their food is raised.
CRSB Chain of Custody Requirement outline the technical and administrative requirements for tracking cattle and beef through the supply chain in order to facilitate qualification for claims about the sourcing of beef from CRSB Certified Operations.
It’s no secret that consumers are looking for information about where their food comes from and how it is raised. It’s one of the big reasons why beef sustainability is important. It’s also why big companies have made efforts to support sustainable agriculture. Being able to produce beef in a way that’s responsible to the environment, animals and consumers is crucial.
Canadian beef producers and processors are committed to producing beef in a more sustainable way to pass it on to the next generation. Not only do they care deeply for the land, air and water where the animals are raised, they are committed to ensuring the utmost care of the animals. Everyone involved in producing beef wants to provide the most healthy, safe, nutritious and sustainable food for your family and theirs, alike. They are committed to living in, and supporting their local communities, across Canada and around the world, and continually improve how beef is raised.
By purchasing CRSB Certified beef, you are supporting sustainable production practices, continuous improvement and all the people involved in bringing it to your table. CRSB Certified represents beef that has met rigorous sustainability standards at every stage of production.