1 August 2018

Bridging the gap: new coalition links soy buyers with on-the-ground initiatives to tackle deforestation

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Bridging the gap: new coalition links soy buyers with on-the-ground initiatives to tackle deforestation

With deadlines to eliminate deforestation from companies’ agricultural commodity supply chains just around the corner, companies are looking for ways to implement their commitments on-the-ground.  As one of the key commodities often associated with deforestation, this is no different for companies in the soy supply chain.

In response to this, Proforest has recently teamed up with The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) and TRASE to launch the Soy Buyers Coalition (SBC), a project which aims to accelerate the implementation of zero deforestation commitments by channeling collective efforts to on-the-ground initiatives in areas of shared interest. The Coalition, created by CGF and coordinated by Proforest, is comprised of downstream users of soy, including retailers, animal feed manufacturers, and consumer goods manufacturers. With the understanding that changes in soy-related deforestation trends will only be brought about through collaboration, the SBC will work closely with traders, local governments, investors, NGOs, soy producers and more to promote activities that help prevent deforestation in key sourcing regions.

Proforest has been working on the technical team together with CGF and TRASE for a year on the SBC, with the project’s first meeting taking place in Oxford in February 2018. Now in the scoping phase of the project, the coalition is currently working to map key sourcing areas with support from TRASE, identifying areas of collective risks, as well as on-the-ground initiatives which could be helpful for companies to collaborate with. In 2019, the coalition will enter its next phase; implementation, when it will support companies to begin engaging with these initiatives to address the risks identified in their supply chains.

For further inquiries about SBC in Proforest, contact .

To access the SBC press release please check the Consumer Goods Forum website here.

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