U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have confirmed that they removed PureCircle from the Withhold Release Order (“WRO”) on stevia and its derivatives.  All PureCircle shipments have been released and business will fully resume on a regular basis in the United States.

PureCircle shipments were detained based on inaccurate allegations that they contained stevia that was produced using forced labor. PureCircle was removed from WRO and shipments were released after CBP review of substantial, detailed documentation from PureCircle, including independent, third-party verifications.

“We fully support CBP’s commitment to ensuring that forced labor is never used in the production of any of our products imported into the USA,” said PureCircle CEO Magomet Malsagov. “We are pleased that this matter has been rigorously investigated and that PureCircle has been cleared by the CBP. This experience has only reinforced our commitment to human rights and fair labor practices in any of our markets as well as strengthened our capabilities in providing traceability and transparency as the stevia industry’s only vertically integrated natural supply chain. “

In response to questions by CBP, PureCircle provided extensive documentation including:

• Bureau Veritas (independent, 3rdparty) Audit Report on Labor Practices & Supply Chain Relationship – China which found:
  • No evidence of force, bonded or involuntary prison labor
  • Proper procedure of assessing suppliers
  • Proper traceability systems in place to trace each batch of extract produced to leaf supplier
• SEDEXMembers Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) which found:
  • No forced, bonded or involuntary prison labor
  • Conformance with regulations regarding Employment Freely Chosen, Child Labor, Regular Employment
• PureCircle Global Labor Policyand Supplier Code of Conduct, which explicitly prohibits the use of forced labor in any part of our business.
• Detailed purchase records and financial documentation