SATI Beyond The Bunch 3rd Quarter 2026

ADVERTORIAL

More than a carbon footprint A CCC Product Carbon Footprint report gives producers insight into total emissions, emissions by source and scope, key hot spots, and consumption benchmarks. Many of the largest emissions sources in agricultural operations – including electrici ty, refrigeration, fertiliser, and fuel – are also significant operational costs. Understand ing where these hotspots occur can there fore help producers improve efficiency, prioritise interventions, and potentially reduce costs. Benchmarking adds another layer of value. CCC enables producers to compare in dicators such as electricity and diesel consumption against relevant commodity- and region-specific benchmark values, providing useful context for their own per formance. CCC benchmarking is built from graded datasets, using reviewed producer data to strengthen industry-level benchmarks and improve the reliability of sector insights. The most valuable benchmark, however, is often your own performance over time. Completing a carbon footprint annual ly allows producers to track progress, as sess whether interventions are having an impact, and identify areas for further improvement.

Support throughout the process A CCC licence is more than access to an online calculator. For R3 130 (excluding VAT) per licence, producers can include relevant farm, packhouse, cold store, and distribution boundaries. The licence includes access to the CCC support team, guidance on data requirements, and a rigorous sense-check and data review process to support credible and consistent carbon data. Once finalised, producers receive a detailed product carbon footprint report and relevant benchmarks. CCC participants can also gain recognition (at no extra cost) through the Carbon Heroes platform, which celebrates agri-businesses going the extra mile on their sustainability journeys. It provides a transparent space to showcase progress and achievements, with digital awards and personalised QR-linked profiles that help build visibility, trust, and recognition. Producers using SIZA’s online record-keeping system can transfer relevant data into CCC through the existing API integration, reducing duplicate data capture and saving time. Blue North also offers carbon training through out the year, including free Light Carbon Work shops, as well as paid competency-based Full Carbon Workshops and the broader Agri- Carbon Crash Course.

SATI

From measurement to action

Calculating a footprint is the starting point.

As markets increasingly expect transparency and measurable sustainability performance, carbon data is becoming more than an environmental metric. It is a practical business tool that can support efficiency, demonstrate progress, strengthen industry credibility, and contribute to the long-term competitiveness and resilience of the South African table-grape sector.

With several years of CCC data, producers can identify trends and use that information to support

more targeted carbon-reduction plans. Blue North can also assist with visual insights reports, Corporate Carbon Footprints, Life Cycle Assessments and broader carbon-management support.

Start by knowing where you stand. Visit the Confronting Climate Change website to calculate your product carbon footprint.

BEYOND THE BUNCH • 11 • QUARTER 3 • 2026