Roundtables and certification schemes in the Pan-Amazon

Sustainability initiatives have been organised for most of the agricultural commodities of the Pan Amazon, including palm oil, soy and beef, but also for coffee and cacao. Several of these initiatives have adopted the term roundtable in their names because it conveys the notion of inclusiveness that is a core concept in these multi-stakeholder initiatives. Typically, the stakeholders include all the participants in a supply chain, from the farmer to the retailer, but also commodity traders, consumer goods manufacturers, banks and service supplies, as well as civil society groups.

Their shared goal is to identify effective solutions to the social and environmental challenges associated with conventional production systems. The mechanism used to reform supply chains is typically a voluntary certification system that verifies that the production, trade and transformation of a commodity has complied with a set of best practices that have been agreed to by all the parties. The search for consensus is important, because it means all of the stakeholders have agreed to accept this package of solutions and commit to supporting the commercialisation of the goods that have been certified as sustainable.

Some environmental activists view these initiatives as a form of greenwash and have questioned their efficacy. Participating companies certify the production within their own supply chain, but roundtable initiatives have not succeeded in transforming their respective sectors. Demand for certified commodities has failed to attract a critical mass of producers that would actually transform the market and change the economic drivers of deforestation.

Adoption is highest for coffee (40%) and cocoa (22%), while commodities linked to industrial plantations tend to be lower: palm oil (20%), sugar (3%) soy (2%) and beef (<1%). Part of the explanation for the slow uptake of the voluntary standards is the lack of demand; typically, only about fifty per cent of certified production is actually sold as a certified commodity.

The lack of uptake is yet another manifestation of the dilemma of allocating the cost of environmental protection and social justice. Sustainability protocols cost money, which either adds to the price of a consumer good or reduces the profit margin of commodity producers. Although North American and European consumers are concerned about deforestation, most still choose a lower-cost product, while those in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East are overwhelmingly focused on price. Moreover, global commodity markets are dominated by producers on landscapes that were transformed by agriculture decades or centuries in the past, and these farmers operate without fear of being accused of environmental crimes. Consequently, traders are not motivated to pay a premium to farmers on the agricultural frontier.

A few producers seek to differentiate their products as organic, deforestation-free, fair-trade or antibiotic-free because they are selling their products into a differentiated market and receive a premium for their production in compensation for the extra cost and reduced yields that these systems [allegedly] entail. Others participate because it guarantees them market access. Most producers opt to circumvent the voluntary guidelines or sell to traders unconcerned about sustainability or just ignore the whole process entirely.

Social advocates have questioned the economic benefits of certification because they tend to discriminate against small-scale producers who cannot meet the record-keeping and logistical demands of a certification process. These protocols are negotiated by large-scale producers that dominate the roundtable initiatives and tailor the certification criteria to their supply chains. As formalisation spreads throughout national and international markets, smallholders could be increasingly marginalised within regional and even local markets in contradiction with the stated social objectives of these certification schemes.

“A Perfect Storm in the Amazon” is a book by Timothy Killeen and contains the author’s viewpoints and analysis. The second edition was published by The White Horse in 2021, under the terms of a Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0 license).

Read the other excerpted portions of chapter 3 here:

Chapter 3. Agriculture: Profitability determines land use

Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Latin America, Peru, South America, Suriname, Venezuela

CSM certification: Costs, requirements, and all you need to know

The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification sets the standard for establishing Scrum theory, developing practical applications and rules, and leading teams and stakeholders through the development process.

Agile practices are being rapidly adopted in project and product management across many industries, and the ScrumMaster is an important leadership role in agile development to not only improve workflow but increase your value as your career evolves. The Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification, available through the Scrum Alliance, is an entry-level certification aimed at providing professionals with an awareness of the methodologies and values of Scrum, including team performance, accountability, and iterative progress. This certification is beneficial for people in product delivery who use the Scrum framework or those responsible for optimizing Scrum, including ScrumMasters and their teams.

Becoming a CSM offers individuals various valuable benefits, including increased recognition and credibility as a leader, additional opportunities within organizations with agile practices, leverage with future opportunities, and a demonstrated knowledge of Scrum principles.

There are no prerequisites to enroll in CSM training but training is required to become certified. To earn a CSM credential, applicants must understand the Scrum framework and its principles and practices. The Scrum Alliance offers numerous resources on Scrum fundamentals, including the Scrum Alliance expert blog, member articles, videos, presentations, and reports.

Applicants must attend a CSM course, spread across two days in person or four online, taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer. The course provides a full overview of how to organize and support a Scrum team, and covers learning objectives including scope, Lean, agile, coaching, and service to the development team, product owner, and organization.

After completing the course, you have two opportunities within 90 days at no cost to pass the exam through the Scrum Alliance portal and become a Certified ScrumMaster. After up to two attempts within 90 days, however, there’s a $25 charge for each additional attempt. Once you pass the CSM exam, you must submit a license agreement for the Scrum Alliance to accept, as well as complete your Scrum Alliance membership profile.

The initial certification fee for each student who successfully completes a Certified ScrumMaster course is paid by the Certified Scrum Trainers. The training course fees, which range from $350 to $1,000, also cover the following:

The CSM exam consists of 50 multiple-choice and true/false questions in 60 minutes. You’ll need to correctly answer a minimum of 37 questions for a passing grade of 74%. The exam covers key Scrum elements, including general Scrum knowledge, Scrum roles, Scrum meetings, and Scrum artifacts. Applicants can only attempt the test twice without additional charge within the 90-day timeline of having completed the required two-day course. Otherwise, an additional $25 is required for each subsequent attempt.

There are real benefits to getting CSM certified, not just for your organization but also on a personal level. The certification gives you a credential of demonstrable leadership value that goes beyond traditional project managers. Benefits also include improving team management, collaboration, and performance to ensure project work progresses seamlessly and efficiently. It also ensures Scrum is being applied correctly and consistently, and that everyone is aligned in their understanding of the framework. Plus, CSM certification provides a career-boosting benefit and opens up opportunities for professional growth.

It’s also about being part of a community. After completing all the steps and becoming a CSM, you’ll receive a two-year membership to the Scrum Alliance and can join local user groups and online social networks, as well as get access to discounts on gatherings, and more.

Your CSM must be renewed every two years. Doing so requires a total of anywhere from 10 to 40 hours of Scrum Education Units (SEUs) and a renewal fee, which varies depending on the certification and SEUs required. Staying up to date requires staying current through SEUs. For every hour you spend on continuing education, you receive one SEU, and SEUs fall into four subcategories: events, learning, volunteering, and other independent means.

Eligible activities include the time you spend reading articles, volunteering, attending events, and taking courses. Examples of SEU options include watching a community webinar, giving back to the agile community through volunteer work, participating in a local user group, attending a global or regional Scrum gathering, and writing a blog post or reading a book about Scrum/agile. As an additional benefit, taking the CSM earns PMI-certified professionals Professional Development Units (PDUs).

Applicants must attend a 16-hour CSM course taught by a Certified Scrum Trainer (CST) prior to taking the CSM exam, either spread across two days in person or up to four online. CSTs are the only trainers approved by the Scrum Alliance to prepare you for the exam, and courses provided by CSTs are listed on the Scrum Alliance course search page. And even though live online options are available in addition to in-person training across the globe, self-paced online training is not available at this time.

CSM training should cover Scrum principles, the Scrum framework, definitions, how to run a Scrum project, how to work with teams, how Scrum fits into your organization, and the various roles involved with Scrum. By the end of your training you should be able to understand:

Once your training is complete, you can expect your instructor to assist with creating an account for you to access a CSM exam test site.

To prepare for the CSM exam, there are many online practice tests with questions that might look similar to these on your exam including:

Becoming a CSM can also provide a big boost to your annual salary. The range for ScrumMasters varies depending on title and location, but Glassdoor calculates an average of $128,000 and some roles can command as high as $165,000. Some such as Agile coach, Scrum trainer, Senior ScrumMaster, Agile Scrum coach, and Lead ScrumMaster are typical titles that can be expected, depending where you are on your career track.

Having achieved ScrumMaster certification opens up doors to more senior positions, and regardless of the role you choose, all indications point to a secure and stable future full of opportunities.