Grupo Andre Maggi is the world’s largest soybean producer with total planted area exceeding 160.0000 hectares. The corporation also acts as a trading house and is a major player in the international soybean market. To achieve this, it finances over 600 third party farms and processes for export. It operates two vegetable oil plants as well as strategic logistic assets which include a navigation company operating on the Madeira River waterway and port facilities on the Amazon River. Over 2.5 million tons are exported by the group.

IFC has thus far granted two loans to Grupo Andre Maggi. Since December 2002, JGP has been advising the Group on Environmental, Social and Health & Safety Management System development (ESHSMS) on an almost continuous basis. Initial work included an environmental and health and safety audit of all farms and facilities. Based on this audit, an integrated ESHSMS was designed, leading to approval of the first IFC loan.

JGP subsequently detailed the ESHSMS and assisted in its implementation. As part of this process, a Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) standard for soybean farms was developed, as well as detailed environmental and health and safety guidelines for all industrial facilities. This system included development of supply chain environmental stewardship procedures in order to ensure that third party farms receiving finance from the company are generally compliant with environmental legislation and are not contributing to illegal clearing of the Amazon region. A GAP program in order to verify compliance of pre-financed producers has also been implemented.

Currently, JGP is assisting Grupo Andre Maggi in pursuing ISO 14.001 certification on key farms and facilities, as per IFC requirements under a 2nd loan agreement.