Soil Association

Who we are
The Soil Association was founded in 1946 by a group of farmers, scientists and nutritionists who observed a direct connection between farming practice and plant, animal, human and environmental health.

Today, we are the UK's leading membership charity campaigning for healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use. We have over 150 staff based in Bristol and Edinburgh and working as certification inspectors across the country. The Soil Association's Chief Executive is Helen Browning, who reports to the Council of Trustees.

You might expect something so vital to be organised and supported by the government. But in fact the Soil Association is a charity, reliant on donations and on the support of its members and the public to carry out its work.

What we do
We are the UK's leading membership charity campaigning for healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use.

Our work is divided into three areas:

Facing the future
In the face of climate change and a growing world population, business as usual in our food and farming system is not an option. We want to ensure that organic systems can secure a durable and humane solution to the challenges facing us.

We help provide solutions that help people to live, eat, farm and grow with the resources that are available. We want to pioneer new solutions to tackle climate change, support biodiversity, improve animal welfare and champion fairness

Good food for all
Good food, the best food, is organically grown, minimally processed, fairly traded, fresh and seasonal. And this food should be a right, not a privilege: we want to make sure everyone has access to food that is healthy for them and the planet.

Our work in schools, through the Food for Life Partnership, shows that it is possible to transform food cultures for the better - improving the life and health chances of thousands of children. We are building on this work and helping other communities to build healthier food cultures.

Enabling change
We represent and work with pioneering farmers, growers and businesses who deliver practical change – the extraordinary people who make change happen on the ground.

We provide technical support and advice to farmers and businesses, and through our trading subsidiary, Soil Association Certification, we work to create and inspire consumer trust in order to support the organic market. We also work to improve consumer understanding of organic principles and to ensure that the vision, integrity and trust at the core of our certification process are understood by anyone purchasing a product that carries our symbol.

Charitable status
The Soil Association is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. Our charity number is 206862. Soil Association Certification Ltd is a subsidiary of the charity which undertakes certification. As a subsidiary company, any surplus income is passed on to the Soil Association charity to raise awareness, and develop and safeguard the entire organic sector.

Review of Organic Regulation

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No lobbyists with EP accreditations

None declared

Mr Christopher Atkinson (Head of Standards)

Ms Helen Browning (Chief Executive)

III - Non-governmental organisations

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