What is the Assurance System?

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• The Sustainable Coconut Charter’s Assurance System provides a mechanism to substantiate sustainability claims and champion companies as agents of change and sustainable trade partners.

• The Assurance System is a verification mechanism, not a certification program. ​

• Designed to verify and ensure compliance with the Charter across the coconut supply chain, it fosters transparency, accountability, and sustainable practices. Pragmatic and progressive, it is aligned with the sector’s needs and structured to be cost-effective, ensuring that every dollar invested drives lasting, meaningful change.

• The system adopts a tiered approach that accommodates different levels of “maturity” in terms of where a company or programme is at in its sustainability efforts.​

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• Key Benefits of Using the System:

  • Demonstrates responsible sourcing commitments to buyers.

  • Supports companies in making verified claims about their efforts towards a responsible coconut sector.

 

• Key features:

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​✅ Designed for Continuous Improvement – Encourages stepwise progress.
✅Coconut-Specific Approach – Addresses traceability, farm rejuvenation, and smallholder issues.
✅ Cost-Effective & Lean – Simplifies verification for businesses of all sizes.
✅ Aligned with International Best practices for standard development.

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Who is it for?​

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• Private sector entities that produce, process, buy, retail or trade coconut and coconut products can adopt the standards to ensure their sourcing is sustainable and verified​

• Regions/governments, and civil society organizations that are involved in multi stakeholder programmes at the jurisdictional/landscape/ island level can adopt the standards to guide and verify their programme’s adherence to sustainable practices within the coconut industry

• Governments and policymakers can incorporate the principles of the Assurance System as a reference for baseline sustainability in the coconut sector guiding program development and investment decisions.

• Financial institutions can use the standards as a reference for baseline sustainability in the coconut sector.​​​​​​