Launched - the Sugar Universal Mill List

The Sugar Collaboration Group aims to support the transformation of the sugar sector by raising the social and environmental sustainability baseline

The Sugar Collaboration Group has a global presence and aims to bring all actors together, from the upstream farms and mills through to the traders and refiners and onwards to the downstream companies, to ensure that all voices are heard, to tackle common issues and share perspectives and learnings.

Through pooling resources and expert knowledge, we can work together to address issues through the development of tools, methodologies, and approaches. Right from the initiation of the group, there has been a workstream on developing a universal mill list to support traceability, imperative for understanding both environmental and social challenges and opportunities, and a workstream focused on deforestation and conversion from both a downstream and an upstream viewpoint.

The Sugar Universal Mill List (UML) is a list of sugarcane mills and sugar beet factories (first aggregators) worldwide. The list of first aggregators is compiled from a range of data sources, either online and publicly available, or privately shared by SCG participants. Currently, the list encompasses approximately 1000 sites spread across sugar-producing regions worldwide. 

The Sugar UML tracks the name of the first aggregator and ownership structure (including parent company name and group name, if applicable). Other data fields include latitude and longitude coordinates, the jurisdiction in which the first aggregator is located, any alternative names identified for the first aggregator, and a confidence rating level which indicates the level of certainty regarding the data relating to the first aggregator – more details on what is included in this confidence rating can be found here. Each mill or factory has been assigned a unique identification code beginning in ‘SU’ – e.g. ‘SU1000000001’. These codes are unchangeable and remain unique even when a first aggregator ceases operations and is removed from the list. 

The Sugar UML will act as a reliable reference for use by the entire sector, making it possible to identify first aggregators and support the mapping of supply chains in a more efficient and standardised way. Having this tool available facilitates engagement with suppliers and promotes more robust data sharing. 

As the Sugar UML is under constant development and review, complete accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Notably, the list is not exhaustive and may not include every single sugar first aggregator worldwide. Updates to the Sugar UML – including corrections, additions or removals of first aggregators – will be actioned on a quarterly basis and new versions published on this site. 

For any questions regarding the Sugar UML, to request the addition of first aggregators, or to report any inaccuracies, please contact the SCG: scg.data@proforest.net

The UML can be downloaded from the SCG website: Universal Mill List — Sugar Collaboration Group