The AIJN guidance document on sustainability definitions and standards

AIJN

2025-11-28

AIJN Sustainability Guidance: a new document offering shared definitions, recognised standards and practical tools to support aligned sustainability practices across the juice sector.

 

As part of the implementation of the AIJN Sustainability Strategy, we developed a new Guidance Document on Sustainability Definitions and Standards. This document responds directly to the needs expressed by companies and National Associations for more clarity, consistency and alignment on what “sustainability” means in practice for the European juice sector.

Building a more sustainable industry requires shared reference points. While many companies have already advanced significantly on their sustainability journeys, the sector still faces a high level of fragmentation in terms of definitions, methodologies and standards. The guidance aims to provide a common language and framework that all actors, regardless of size or maturity, can rely on.

What the guidance covers

The scope focuses on the sustainable sourcing of the fruits and vegetables used to produce juices and nectars and any other ingredient from agricultural origin, and on the production of juices and nectars, as defined by the EU Fruit Juice Directive. The document includes:

  • A shared sustainability definition grounded in internationally recognised frameworks such as the UN SDGs.
  • Sector-endorsed sustainability standards, including the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) from the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform) for agricultural production and the SSCI-benchmarked standards for social compliance in processing.
  • Links to additional platforms and tools, such as AIM-Progress, that can support responsible sourcing and reduce audit duplication.

As regulatory requirements and sustainability practices evolve rapidly, the guidance is intended to be updated regularly.

By creating a shared understanding of sustainability and aligning around recognised standards, the sector can strengthen its credibility, reduce complexity for farmers and suppliers, and collectively accelerate progress. This guidance document is therefore a core basis for AIJN’s Strategy in general and for Pillar 1.

The full guidance document is available below. For questions or further support, members are invited to contact aijn@aijn.eu.

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