1 February 2019
New report from Proforest compares transparency tools in commodity supply chains
As a growing number of companies seek to implement their commitments to responsible sourcing in their commodity supply chains, practicing transparency is becoming increasingly important to demonstrate their progress. In response, many tools have been developed to score, compare and track this progress.
In 2018 ZSL commissioned Proforest to review existing transparency tools as part of a wider scoping study. With the realisation that this information had significant potential to help actors assess the different transparency tools available to them, it was decided that the summary results of this review should be made available as a resource. The result – a detailed report covering 22 tools – compares tools which focus on cross-cutting issues such as deforestation and human rights, as well as specific commodities such as palm oil, soy, timber and pulp.
Commodity specific tools were mostly found in the palm oil sector, followed by soy, and timber, then pulp & paper. Only one existing tool was identified for the cotton sector, while no transparency tools were found in the sugar and rubber sectors - although a tool is currently being developed by the Index Initiative that will include these sectors, namely the Sustainable Agricultural Commodity Index. SPOTT aims to begin assessing natural rubber producers in 2019.
Bilge Daldeniz, Director of International Programmes with Proforest, said: “Navigating sustainability in commodity supply chains is challenging, both for companies seeking to deliver on responsible sourcing commitments and for those seeking to assess their progress in doing so. This review will facilitate this process by providing the necessary information on available tools in order to support effective decision-making.”
Visit the ZSL SPOTT website to read their blog and download the report.