California Transparency Act

Who We Are

Florida’s Natural Growers, Inc (FNGI) is an 85-year-old cooperative owned by hundreds of Florida citrus growers. Each cooperative member supplies freshly harvested Florida citrus to FNGI processing facilities that squeeze the fruit within a day of arrival for bottling as Florida’s Natural citrus juices.

Our cooperative members rely on a broad range of employees, from salaried professionals who oversee grove and packing operations to hourly employees who tend to millions of citrus trees. They also depend upon temporary agricultural laborers who pick and pack boxes of oranges and grapefruit several months a year, as well as vendors that provide crop protection services or supply packing line equipment, boxes and grove machinery. Our Commitment We are committed to fair labor practices and to ensuring those practices are utilized throughout

Our Commitment: We are committed to fair labor practices and to ensuring those practices are utilized throughout our supply chain. We comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding labor and employment and expect our co-op members and all other suppliers we and our members work with to do the same.

Our Policies: Workplace Standards Our Workplace Standards Policy, which outlines our organizational values and expectations for all employees and the companies within our supply chain, emphasizes our commitment to responsible workplace practices. The principles of our policy include:

– Labor: FNGI employs labor and utilizes employment practices that adhere to all applicable regulations and laws addressing, wages and benefits, child labor, forced labor, and any other potential abuse of employees.

– Work Environment: FNGI adopts employment policies promoting a safe and secure work environment. We, along with our associates, provide a workplace prohibiting gender or racial discrimination including harassment, physical or verbal abuse or intimidation. We hold required trainings on a regular basis for our employees and encourage other training topics to benefit the employee in the areas of: opportunities for advancement, educational sessions to further develop our employees’ skills and talents to advance their prosperity or improved quality of living standards.

– Business Integrity and Ethics: FNGI employees are guided by corporate core values, which have been adopted by our board of directors. Our core values specify the ethical behavior expected of all our employees. Furthermore, we expect our employees to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws. We are swift to intervene when we uncover behaviors and actions that are unlawful or are contrary to our core values.

– Employee Relations: We provide a work environment that encourages employees to express work related concerns without fear of reprisal or retaliation. Employees’ right to join or not join a labor union without fear of intimidation or harassment will be respected, and we commit to engage in clear communication with employees and to bargain in good faith with any certified employee representatives.

If we determine that any of our FNGI corporate employees, co-op members, suppliers or vendors have violated any FNGI standards or protocols, we direct that they rectify the situation immediately. Noncompliance could result in the loss of co-operative membership or supplier/vendor contract.

Compliance: Every year, we require that all current suppliers and vendors complete a Supplier Quality and Safety Questionnaire. Satisfactory completion of the survey ensures they can maintain their status in our Approved Supplier Program. Within the questionnaire, each FNGI member supplier, as well as their own suppliers and FNGI’s corporate suppliers and vendors, must answer questions regarding Social Standards within its organization, confirming it has made a public commitment to operating its business and managing its supply chain based on the following principles:

-Support and respect the protection of international proclaimed human rights

– Uphold freedom of association and effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining

– Elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labor

– Elimination of discrimination

– Work against corruption in all forms, including extortion and bribery

Each member supplier and outside supplier and vendors also must confirm it has a process in place for managing social compliance, such as preventing child labor and discrimination, at all levels of its organization, as well as disclosing any violations or charges regarding fair pay, equal opportunity, or other labor practices in the previous three years.

Auditing: Audits help FNGI and our co-op members assess the work environments of the organizations within our supply chain and ensure full compliance with the trafficking laws of the countries in which they do business. These requirements are outlined in our contracts with all temporary labor agencies and contracted security, transportation and crop protection services. Regular audits by internal auditors determine whether these requirements are met.

In addition, our business conduct guidelines require that our employees do not conceal information from any internal or independent auditors. Annually, they must attest to their truthfulness and transparency.

Internal Accountability: Each year, as the primary officer of our co-operative, our CEO requires all FNGI executives, managers and employees to attest that they have read, communicated, and will comply with our Business Conduct Guidelines.

We also make the members of aware of outside training that is offered to the industry and encourage them to attend. Our co-op members demonstrate their accountability by signing Marketing and Fruit Purchase agreements guaranteeing they conform in all respects to all applicable laws and regulations of the United States and the State of Florida.