Beyond 2020: accelerating implementation of responsible sourcing commitments

Many supply chain companies have made public commitments to responsible sourcing of agricultural commodities, including the elimination of deforestation and exploitation in their supply bases by 2020, as part of their wider support for initiatives such as the Paris climate agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals.

Fewer than 1000 days remain until this deadline and – despite considerable progress – it is clear that many of these commitments may not be fully met on time.

Proforest’s latest briefing, Accelerating implementation of responsible sourcing commitments: A Framework for Progress to 2020 and Beyond, argues that we need to move beyond policy commitments and supply chain transparency and focus on implementation transparency.

It sets out a framework that aims to make it clearer to see: what progress has already been made, what still needs to be done, and what challenges need to be addressed to get full compliance.

The framework focuses on reporting volumes which are in different stages in reaching full compliance and the associated challenges that have to be addressed.

In addition to providing transparency, the framework also provides a mechanism to better integrate the different tools and approaches companies are using to implement their commitments in practice, including product compliance (often demonstrated through certification), supplier engagement, landscape initiatives and sector approaches.

The briefing note also outlines the main challenges to the implementation of responsible sourcing commitments, which include:

• the complexity of supply chains 
• the limitations of what companies can do without collaboration with other actors and 
• the challenges of engaging with small and medium enterprises (SMEs) including smallholders. 

Overcoming these challenges will require time and resources, and it is important to maintain momentum up to and beyond 2020.
For more information, download the latest briefing: Accelerating implementation of responsible sourcing commitments: A Framework for Progress to 2020 and Beyond.