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Ethical Supply Chain Program
https://www.ethicalsupplychain.org/
A non-profit organization, with over with 20 years’ experience in responsible business and supply chain sustainability.
https://www.ethicalsupplychain.org/
A non-profit organization, with over with 20 years’ experience in responsible business and supply chain sustainability.
FSC-certified forest management benefits large mammals compared to non-FSC
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07257-8
More than a quarter of the world’s tropical forests are exploited for timber1. Logging impacts biodiversity in these ecosystems, primarily through the creation of forest roads that facilitate hunting for wildlife over extensive areas. Forest management certification schemes such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) are expected to mitigate impacts on biodiversity, but so far very little is known about the effectiveness of FSC certification because of research design challenges, predominantly limited sample sizes. Here we provide this evidence by using 1.3?million camera-trap photos of 55 mammal species in 14 logging concessions in western equatorial Africa.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07257-8
More than a quarter of the world’s tropical forests are exploited for timber1. Logging impacts biodiversity in these ecosystems, primarily through the creation of forest roads that facilitate hunting for wildlife over extensive areas. Forest management certification schemes such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) are expected to mitigate impacts on biodiversity, but so far very little is known about the effectiveness of FSC certification because of research design challenges, predominantly limited sample sizes. Here we provide this evidence by using 1.3?million camera-trap photos of 55 mammal species in 14 logging concessions in western equatorial Africa.
Report; Hidden Harvests
https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/hidden-harvest
This report is the culmination of three years of research and investigations into the Indian shrimp sector, examining evidence of forced labor, living and working conditions for shrimp supply chain workers, environmental impacts of the industry, and the failure of social auditing certification schemes that purport to to ensure that the shrimp sold with their imprimatur were ethically and sustainably produced.
The current system of farmed shrimp production is not sustainable – not for workers, the environment, or – ultimately – for retailers, wholesalers, or consumers. The Indian shrimp sector is rife with discrimination, dangerous working conditions, hazardous child labor, sexual harassment, debt bondage, threats and intimidation, toxic sewage, false and misleading certification schemes, and a general lack of oversight.
Rather than continue down a road littered with exploitation, discrimination, and forced labor, companies – and governments – have the opportunity and the duty to act now. There is no time to waste in treating workers with respect and addressing the substantial threats to the environment presented by the Indian shrimp sector.
https://corpaccountabilitylab.org/hidden-harvest
This report is the culmination of three years of research and investigations into the Indian shrimp sector, examining evidence of forced labor, living and working conditions for shrimp supply chain workers, environmental impacts of the industry, and the failure of social auditing certification schemes that purport to to ensure that the shrimp sold with their imprimatur were ethically and sustainably produced.
The current system of farmed shrimp production is not sustainable – not for workers, the environment, or – ultimately – for retailers, wholesalers, or consumers. The Indian shrimp sector is rife with discrimination, dangerous working conditions, hazardous child labor, sexual harassment, debt bondage, threats and intimidation, toxic sewage, false and misleading certification schemes, and a general lack of oversight.
Rather than continue down a road littered with exploitation, discrimination, and forced labor, companies – and governments – have the opportunity and the duty to act now. There is no time to waste in treating workers with respect and addressing the substantial threats to the environment presented by the Indian shrimp sector.
An Overview of Shrimp and its Sustainability in 2024
https://sustainablefisheries-uw.org/shrimp-sustainability-2024/
Despite this steadily growing demand domestically and abroad, wild and farmed shrimp production has inherent, well-reported issues that make sustainability challenging. Consumers are more aware of these issues than ever, with considerable media attention given to the environmental and social challenges in recent years. Grocery retail buyers are responding by requiring minimum environmental certifications and labor standards for their suppliers. But how are these new criteria keeping up with demand? How sustainable is global shrimp production in 2024?
https://sustainablefisheries-uw.org/shrimp-sustainability-2024/
Despite this steadily growing demand domestically and abroad, wild and farmed shrimp production has inherent, well-reported issues that make sustainability challenging. Consumers are more aware of these issues than ever, with considerable media attention given to the environmental and social challenges in recent years. Grocery retail buyers are responding by requiring minimum environmental certifications and labor standards for their suppliers. But how are these new criteria keeping up with demand? How sustainable is global shrimp production in 2024?
Marine Stewardship Council pauses new standards for seafood sustainability
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/marine-stewardship-council-pauses-seafood-standard-1.7105691
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), whose blue check mark is a global symbol of seafood sustainability, has been forced to pause and rework its latest fisheries standard less than a year after it was launched. The London-based non-profit organization is responding to complaints by fishing industry groups around the world, including major players in Atlantic Canada, that the new standard is vague and unworkable.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/marine-stewardship-council-pauses-seafood-standard-1.7105691
The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), whose blue check mark is a global symbol of seafood sustainability, has been forced to pause and rework its latest fisheries standard less than a year after it was launched. The London-based non-profit organization is responding to complaints by fishing industry groups around the world, including major players in Atlantic Canada, that the new standard is vague and unworkable.
Preferred by Nature
https://www.preferredbynature.org/
Preferred by Nature is a non-profit organisation that supports better land management and business practices that benefit people, nature and climate.
https://www.preferredbynature.org/
Preferred by Nature is a non-profit organisation that supports better land management and business practices that benefit people, nature and climate.
The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC)
https://www.iscc-system.org/
The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) is an independent multi-stakeholder initiative and leading certification system supporting sustainable, fully traceable, deforestation-free and climate-friendly supply chains. With our certification we contribute to environmentally, socially and economically sustainable production.
https://www.iscc-system.org/
The International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) is an independent multi-stakeholder initiative and leading certification system supporting sustainable, fully traceable, deforestation-free and climate-friendly supply chains. With our certification we contribute to environmentally, socially and economically sustainable production.
Paper; Monitoring Global Supply Chains
https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/11591700/short%252ctoffel%252chugill_monitoring-global-supply-chains.pdf
Firms seeking to avoid reputational spillovers that can arise from dangerous, illegal, and unethical behavior at supply chain factories are increasingly relying on private social auditors to provide strategic information about suppliers’ conduct. But little is known about what influences auditors’ ability to identify and report problems. Our analysis of nearly 17,000 supplier audits reveals that auditors report fewer violations when individual auditors have audited the factory before, when audit teams are less experienced or less trained, when audit teams are all-male, and when audits are paid for by the audited supplier. This first comprehensive and systematic analysis of supply chain monitoring identifies previously overlooked transaction costs and suggests strategies to develop governance structures to mitigate reputational risks by reducing information asymmetries in supply chains.
https://dash.harvard.edu/bitstream/handle/1/11591700/short%252ctoffel%252chugill_monitoring-global-supply-chains.pdf
Firms seeking to avoid reputational spillovers that can arise from dangerous, illegal, and unethical behavior at supply chain factories are increasingly relying on private social auditors to provide strategic information about suppliers’ conduct. But little is known about what influences auditors’ ability to identify and report problems. Our analysis of nearly 17,000 supplier audits reveals that auditors report fewer violations when individual auditors have audited the factory before, when audit teams are less experienced or less trained, when audit teams are all-male, and when audits are paid for by the audited supplier. This first comprehensive and systematic analysis of supply chain monitoring identifies previously overlooked transaction costs and suggests strategies to develop governance structures to mitigate reputational risks by reducing information asymmetries in supply chains.
Standards map
https://standardsmap.org/en/home
The world’s largest database for sustainability standards We provide free, accessible, comprehensive, verified and transparent information on over 300 standards for environmental protection, worker and labour rights, economic development, quality and food safety, as well as business ethics.
https://standardsmap.org/en/home
The world’s largest database for sustainability standards We provide free, accessible, comprehensive, verified and transparent information on over 300 standards for environmental protection, worker and labour rights, economic development, quality and food safety, as well as business ethics.
PDF; Fisheries and Aquaculture Certification, Standards and Ratings Ecosystem
https://www.humanrightsatsea.org/sites/default/files/media-files/2023-03/LR_HRAS_Fisheries%20Human%20Rights%20Standards_8%20MARCH%2023_v1.1.pdf
As consumers we’re led to believe we hold the power to ensure the goods we buy are not harmful to humans and the planet. In classic economics, companies simply supply what the market demands. We are ‘the market’ and it is the market that sets the price. And we are increasingly aware, in this information age, that price goes far beyond the ticket on the shelf. It’s not just what’s in the tin, but how it got there – the husbandry, the working conditions, the production process. The outcome? A plethora of labels of various certification schemes aimed at meeting that demand. But do these labels really address the true cost and help empower consumers to leverage their purchases to get what they want? This much-needed data-driven examination of labels – certification standards – within the fisheries industry shows that all is not what it might seem. It demonstrates the complexity of a solution based on voluntary standards, beginning with the plethora of schemes, each with its own criteria, inconsistent both in mandate, assessment process and enforcement. The existence of such a report, on just one industry, indicates just how unrealistic it is as a means for consumers to understand the true cost of a product and exercise our purchasing power accordingly.
https://www.humanrightsatsea.org/sites/default/files/media-files/2023-03/LR_HRAS_Fisheries%20Human%20Rights%20Standards_8%20MARCH%2023_v1.1.pdf
As consumers we’re led to believe we hold the power to ensure the goods we buy are not harmful to humans and the planet. In classic economics, companies simply supply what the market demands. We are ‘the market’ and it is the market that sets the price. And we are increasingly aware, in this information age, that price goes far beyond the ticket on the shelf. It’s not just what’s in the tin, but how it got there – the husbandry, the working conditions, the production process. The outcome? A plethora of labels of various certification schemes aimed at meeting that demand. But do these labels really address the true cost and help empower consumers to leverage their purchases to get what they want? This much-needed data-driven examination of labels – certification standards – within the fisheries industry shows that all is not what it might seem. It demonstrates the complexity of a solution based on voluntary standards, beginning with the plethora of schemes, each with its own criteria, inconsistent both in mandate, assessment process and enforcement. The existence of such a report, on just one industry, indicates just how unrealistic it is as a means for consumers to understand the true cost of a product and exercise our purchasing power accordingly.
Comply or Explain
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comply_or_explain
Rather than setting out binding laws, government regulators (in the UK, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), in Germany, under the Aktiengesetz) set out a code, which listed companies may either comply with, or if they do not comply, explain publicly why they do not. The purpose of "comply or explain" is to "let the market decide" whether a set of standards is appropriate for individual companies. Since a company may deviate from the standard, this approach rejects the view that "one size fits all", but because of the requirement of disclosure of explanations to market investors, anticipates that if investors do not accept a company's explanations, then they will sell their shares, hence creating a "market sanction", rather than a legal one.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comply_or_explain
Rather than setting out binding laws, government regulators (in the UK, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), in Germany, under the Aktiengesetz) set out a code, which listed companies may either comply with, or if they do not comply, explain publicly why they do not. The purpose of "comply or explain" is to "let the market decide" whether a set of standards is appropriate for individual companies. Since a company may deviate from the standard, this approach rejects the view that "one size fits all", but because of the requirement of disclosure of explanations to market investors, anticipates that if investors do not accept a company's explanations, then they will sell their shares, hence creating a "market sanction", rather than a legal one.
Responsible Steel
https://www.responsiblesteel.org/
We are a global not-for-profit multistakeholder standard and certification initiative. Our mission is to be a driving force in the socially and environmentally responsible production of net-zero steel, globally. Building a sustainable steel industry requires cooperation and mutual commitment from companies at all levels of the steel supply chain, representatives of civil society, and other stakeholders. We provide the forum for this multi-stakeholder approach. Our members include some of the leading players in the industry working together to minimise the impact of steel manufacturing on people and the planet.
https://www.responsiblesteel.org/
We are a global not-for-profit multistakeholder standard and certification initiative. Our mission is to be a driving force in the socially and environmentally responsible production of net-zero steel, globally. Building a sustainable steel industry requires cooperation and mutual commitment from companies at all levels of the steel supply chain, representatives of civil society, and other stakeholders. We provide the forum for this multi-stakeholder approach. Our members include some of the leading players in the industry working together to minimise the impact of steel manufacturing on people and the planet.
Fair Cobalt Alliance
https://www.faircobaltalliance.org/
A multi-stakeholder action platform, the Fair Cobalt Alliance offers actors across the cobalt supply chain a pre-competitive environment for collaboration to help strengthen and professionalise DRC’s artisanal cobalt mining sector and contribute to local economic development at large.
https://www.faircobaltalliance.org/
A multi-stakeholder action platform, the Fair Cobalt Alliance offers actors across the cobalt supply chain a pre-competitive environment for collaboration to help strengthen and professionalise DRC’s artisanal cobalt mining sector and contribute to local economic development at large.
Rules Without Rights: Land, Labor, and Private Authority in the Global Economy
https://books.google.nl/books?id=P49HDwAAQBAJ
Activists have exposed startling forms of labor exploitation and environmental degradation in global industries, leading many large retailers and brands to adopt standards for fairness and sustainability. This book is about the idea that transnational corporations can push these rules through their global supply chains, and in effect, pull factories, forests, and farms out of their local contexts and up to global best practices. For many scholars and practitioners, this kind of private regulation and global standard-setting can provide an alternative to regulation by territorially bound, gridlocked, or incapacitated nation states, potentially improving environments and working conditions around the world and protecting the rights of exploited workers, impoverished farmers, and marginalized communities. But can private, voluntary rules actually create meaningful forms of regulation? Are forests and factories around the world being made into sustainable ecosystems and decent workplaces? Can global norms remake local orders? This book provides striking new answers by comparing the private regulation of land and labor in democratic and authoritarian settings. Case studies of sustainable forestry and fair labor standards in Indonesia and China show not only how transnational standards are implemented “on the ground” but also how they are constrained and reconfigured by domestic governance. Combining rich multi-method analyses, a powerful comparative approach, and a new theory of private regulation, this book reveals the contours and contradictions of transnational governance.
https://books.google.nl/books?id=P49HDwAAQBAJ
Activists have exposed startling forms of labor exploitation and environmental degradation in global industries, leading many large retailers and brands to adopt standards for fairness and sustainability. This book is about the idea that transnational corporations can push these rules through their global supply chains, and in effect, pull factories, forests, and farms out of their local contexts and up to global best practices. For many scholars and practitioners, this kind of private regulation and global standard-setting can provide an alternative to regulation by territorially bound, gridlocked, or incapacitated nation states, potentially improving environments and working conditions around the world and protecting the rights of exploited workers, impoverished farmers, and marginalized communities. But can private, voluntary rules actually create meaningful forms of regulation? Are forests and factories around the world being made into sustainable ecosystems and decent workplaces? Can global norms remake local orders? This book provides striking new answers by comparing the private regulation of land and labor in democratic and authoritarian settings. Case studies of sustainable forestry and fair labor standards in Indonesia and China show not only how transnational standards are implemented “on the ground” but also how they are constrained and reconfigured by domestic governance. Combining rich multi-method analyses, a powerful comparative approach, and a new theory of private regulation, this book reveals the contours and contradictions of transnational governance.
Investigation: Deforestation Inc
https://www.icij.org/investigations/deforestation-inc/
An ICIJ-led cross-border investigation exposes how a lightly regulated sustainability industry overlooks forest destruction and human rights violations when granting environmental certifications.
https://www.icij.org/investigations/deforestation-inc/
An ICIJ-led cross-border investigation exposes how a lightly regulated sustainability industry overlooks forest destruction and human rights violations when granting environmental certifications.
Verra
https://verra.org/
Verra sets the world’s leading standards for climate action and sustainable development. ? We build standards for activities as diverse as reducing deforestation, to improving agricultural practices, to addressing plastic waste, and to achieving gender equality.
https://verra.org/
Verra sets the world’s leading standards for climate action and sustainable development. ? We build standards for activities as diverse as reducing deforestation, to improving agricultural practices, to addressing plastic waste, and to achieving gender equality.
The controversial way fashion brands gauge sustainability is being suspended
https://qz.com/2180322/the-controversial-higg-sustainability-index-is-being-suspended
The Higg Index, one of the fashion industry’s most well-known sustainability rating systems, came under sustained criticism this month. A New York Times article called out the index as too favorable to synthetic materials made from fossil fuels; the Intercept dug into the metric’s controversial ties to fast fashion; and the Norway Consumer Authority banned its use (link in Norwegian) in marketing to consumers.
https://qz.com/2180322/the-controversial-higg-sustainability-index-is-being-suspended
The Higg Index, one of the fashion industry’s most well-known sustainability rating systems, came under sustained criticism this month. A New York Times article called out the index as too favorable to synthetic materials made from fossil fuels; the Intercept dug into the metric’s controversial ties to fast fashion; and the Norway Consumer Authority banned its use (link in Norwegian) in marketing to consumers.
Report, Tea Certification Data Report 2020
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Tea-Certification-Data-Report-2020.pdf
The main goal of this report is to present the scope and scale of the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ tea certification programs in 2020 – calendar year. The report is created to inform our stakeholders and is part of our commitment to transparency. The report focuses on the key indicators related to:
• Market uptake: sales of Rainforest Alliance Certified and UTZ certified tea;
• Program reach: estimated Rainforest Alliance Certified and UTZ certified tea production, premiums being paid and multi-certification.
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Tea-Certification-Data-Report-2020.pdf
The main goal of this report is to present the scope and scale of the Rainforest Alliance and UTZ tea certification programs in 2020 – calendar year. The report is created to inform our stakeholders and is part of our commitment to transparency. The report focuses on the key indicators related to:
• Market uptake: sales of Rainforest Alliance Certified and UTZ certified tea;
• Program reach: estimated Rainforest Alliance Certified and UTZ certified tea production, premiums being paid and multi-certification.
Rainforest Alliance Tea Traceability Webinar Slides
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/RA-Tea-Traceability-in-MultiTrace-Webinar-April-2022.pdf
Slides from a Rainforest Alliance presentation on tracebility in tea supply chains. Targeted audience is to RA certificate holders. Full traceability is a requirement of certification since July 2022.
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/RA-Tea-Traceability-in-MultiTrace-Webinar-April-2022.pdf
Slides from a Rainforest Alliance presentation on tracebility in tea supply chains. Targeted audience is to RA certificate holders. Full traceability is a requirement of certification since July 2022.
Tea Selling Mark Guidance
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/RA-G-MT-1-V1-Tea-Selling-Marks.pdf
A selling mark is the name under which the factory sells its tea. This may or may not be the same name as the garden mark (noting that smallholders do not have garden marks – garden marks are associated with estates and origins where tea was introduced/managed under a British system). Note: Buyers often use the term “garden mark”, or just “mark” as shorthand for selling mark. A selling mark is:
• Printed on the tea sacks shipped from farm CHs factories or bulking factories,
• Will be on purchase orders, contracts, invoices etc.,
• Is used in auction catalogues,
• Is used in the ERP systems of buyers, if they have one,
• In the Rainforest Alliance traceability platform selling mark is a key identifier in the
footprint together with variety and producer.
• The identity or "brand" of the tea as produced/packed/sold into the marketplace. It can denote the origin/factory/quality/type of the tea in question. Multiple grades (leaf quality / size) can be assigned under one Selling Mark.
A selling mark can be:
• The name of the garden producing the tea
• The name of the village/group/community producing the tea
• The factory name/location
• Part of the certificate name
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/RA-G-MT-1-V1-Tea-Selling-Marks.pdf
A selling mark is the name under which the factory sells its tea. This may or may not be the same name as the garden mark (noting that smallholders do not have garden marks – garden marks are associated with estates and origins where tea was introduced/managed under a British system). Note: Buyers often use the term “garden mark”, or just “mark” as shorthand for selling mark. A selling mark is:
• Printed on the tea sacks shipped from farm CHs factories or bulking factories,
• Will be on purchase orders, contracts, invoices etc.,
• Is used in auction catalogues,
• Is used in the ERP systems of buyers, if they have one,
• In the Rainforest Alliance traceability platform selling mark is a key identifier in the
footprint together with variety and producer.
• The identity or "brand" of the tea as produced/packed/sold into the marketplace. It can denote the origin/factory/quality/type of the tea in question. Multiple grades (leaf quality / size) can be assigned under one Selling Mark.
A selling mark can be:
• The name of the garden producing the tea
• The name of the village/group/community producing the tea
• The factory name/location
• Part of the certificate name
Paper, Revealing and concealing power in the sustainable tea
supply chain
https://research-api.cbs.dk/ws/files/69553351/matthew_archer_et_al_its_up_to_the_market_to_decide_publishersversion.pdf
In 2007, Unilever, the world’s largest tea company, announced plans to source its entire tea supply sustainably, beginning with the certification of its tea producers in East Africa to Rainforest Alliance standards. As a major buyer of Kenyan tea, Unilever’s decision pushed tea producers across Kenya to subscribe to Rainforest Alliance’s sustainable agriculture standard in order to maintain access to the global tea market; according to a 2018 report, over 85% of Kenya’s tea producers were Rainforest Alliance certified. Drawing on ethnographic material among supply chain actors across different sites along the sustainable tea value chain (from those designing and disseminating standards to tea traders to smallholder tea farmers), this article examines how these actors frequently attributed the power to determine the outcomes of certification to a faceless ‘market’. Deferring to ‘the market’, we observe, served primarily to mask theoutsized power of lead firms (in particular Unilever) to determine conditions of tea production and trade. At the same time, ‘the market’ was also in some cases qualified by our interlocutors, allowing them implicitly (and at times explicitly) to reveal power and give it a face.
https://research-api.cbs.dk/ws/files/69553351/matthew_archer_et_al_its_up_to_the_market_to_decide_publishersversion.pdf
In 2007, Unilever, the world’s largest tea company, announced plans to source its entire tea supply sustainably, beginning with the certification of its tea producers in East Africa to Rainforest Alliance standards. As a major buyer of Kenyan tea, Unilever’s decision pushed tea producers across Kenya to subscribe to Rainforest Alliance’s sustainable agriculture standard in order to maintain access to the global tea market; according to a 2018 report, over 85% of Kenya’s tea producers were Rainforest Alliance certified. Drawing on ethnographic material among supply chain actors across different sites along the sustainable tea value chain (from those designing and disseminating standards to tea traders to smallholder tea farmers), this article examines how these actors frequently attributed the power to determine the outcomes of certification to a faceless ‘market’. Deferring to ‘the market’, we observe, served primarily to mask theoutsized power of lead firms (in particular Unilever) to determine conditions of tea production and trade. At the same time, ‘the market’ was also in some cases qualified by our interlocutors, allowing them implicitly (and at times explicitly) to reveal power and give it a face.
Report, Certified Unilever Tea Small Cup, Big Difference? (2011)
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1961574
For this study one hundred tea workers were interviewed on a total of eight tea plantation companies, all supplying tea to Unilever. Seven of these plantations are located in India and the remaining plantation concerns Unilever?s own tea plantation in Kenya. It was found that working conditions on tea estates that supply Unilever are problematic despite having been certified by the sustainability standard system RA. This in turn raises concerns about the effectiveness and credibility of this standard. On all the RA certified estates in India there were issues with wages either including too few benefits or partly being paid in kind and not in cash. Also women workers are being discriminated against (promotion, benefits), many casual workers remain permanently casual and workers are applying pesticides without protective gear. Moreover, most of these issues constitute violations of Indian labour legislation and ILO standards as well as Unilever?s own standards for suppliers. All of them are violations of RA standards and should lead to withdrawal of RA certification.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1961574
For this study one hundred tea workers were interviewed on a total of eight tea plantation companies, all supplying tea to Unilever. Seven of these plantations are located in India and the remaining plantation concerns Unilever?s own tea plantation in Kenya. It was found that working conditions on tea estates that supply Unilever are problematic despite having been certified by the sustainability standard system RA. This in turn raises concerns about the effectiveness and credibility of this standard. On all the RA certified estates in India there were issues with wages either including too few benefits or partly being paid in kind and not in cash. Also women workers are being discriminated against (promotion, benefits), many casual workers remain permanently casual and workers are applying pesticides without protective gear. Moreover, most of these issues constitute violations of Indian labour legislation and ILO standards as well as Unilever?s own standards for suppliers. All of them are violations of RA standards and should lead to withdrawal of RA certification.
Paper, Sustainable Tea at Unilever (2012)
https://blogs.ubc.ca/courseblogsis_ubc_ba_504_001_2014w1-2_45258-sis_ubc_ba_504_001_2014w1-2_45258/files/2015/08/Sustainable-Tea-at-Unilever.pdf
In 2010, Unilever announced its commitment to a new “Sustainable Living Plan,” a document that set wide-ranging, companywide goals for improving the health and well-being of consumers, reducing environmental impact, and, perhaps most ambitiously, sourcing 100% of agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020. Such a goal implied a massive transformation of a supply chain that sourced close to 8 million tons of commodities across 50 different crops. Unilever CEO Paul Polman believed that the company’s ambitious goals could drive savings, product innovation, and differentiation across the company’s portfolio of products.
https://blogs.ubc.ca/courseblogsis_ubc_ba_504_001_2014w1-2_45258-sis_ubc_ba_504_001_2014w1-2_45258/files/2015/08/Sustainable-Tea-at-Unilever.pdf
In 2010, Unilever announced its commitment to a new “Sustainable Living Plan,” a document that set wide-ranging, companywide goals for improving the health and well-being of consumers, reducing environmental impact, and, perhaps most ambitiously, sourcing 100% of agricultural raw materials sustainably by 2020. Such a goal implied a massive transformation of a supply chain that sourced close to 8 million tons of commodities across 50 different crops. Unilever CEO Paul Polman believed that the company’s ambitious goals could drive savings, product innovation, and differentiation across the company’s portfolio of products.
Report, THE NEED FOR TRANSPARENCY IN TEA SUPPLY CHAINS
https://media.business-humanrights.org/media/documents/2021_Tea_Report_v4.pdf
The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre sought to address this gap by approaching 65 major companies with a request for them to disclose their supply chain details to be held centrally in the first Tea Transparency Tracker. The 17 companies which disclosed ranged from large multinational corporations and supermarkets to small family-owned companies sourcing just a few tonnes of tea, making it clear the only thing stopping companies from being transparent was their own commitment and willingness. Only 10 companies fully disclosed and just seven committed to full transparency in the future
https://media.business-humanrights.org/media/documents/2021_Tea_Report_v4.pdf
The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre sought to address this gap by approaching 65 major companies with a request for them to disclose their supply chain details to be held centrally in the first Tea Transparency Tracker. The 17 companies which disclosed ranged from large multinational corporations and supermarkets to small family-owned companies sourcing just a few tonnes of tea, making it clear the only thing stopping companies from being transparent was their own commitment and willingness. Only 10 companies fully disclosed and just seven committed to full transparency in the future
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
https://pefc.org/
As an umbrella organization, we endorse national forest certification systems that have been developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions.
https://pefc.org/
As an umbrella organization, we endorse national forest certification systems that have been developed through multi-stakeholder processes and tailored to local priorities and conditions.
Website, Hamish van der Ven
https://hamishvanderven.com/research/
My research examines the role of businesses, NGOs, and standard setters in solving transboundary environmental challenges. This research program is inherently interdisciplinary and seeks to put elements of political science, environmental studies and business/management in conversation. In the absence of comprehensive state-led solutions, a host of innovative transnational governance initiatives have emerged that use market forces to address environmental problems. The rise of these new forms of governance raises a number of questions. Under what conditions are they likely to be effective? How do they interact with the traditional authority of governments and international organizations? And what negative externalities do the create? I address these questions across a number of related projects, reviewed below.
https://hamishvanderven.com/research/
My research examines the role of businesses, NGOs, and standard setters in solving transboundary environmental challenges. This research program is inherently interdisciplinary and seeks to put elements of political science, environmental studies and business/management in conversation. In the absence of comprehensive state-led solutions, a host of innovative transnational governance initiatives have emerged that use market forces to address environmental problems. The rise of these new forms of governance raises a number of questions. Under what conditions are they likely to be effective? How do they interact with the traditional authority of governments and international organizations? And what negative externalities do the create? I address these questions across a number of related projects, reviewed below.
Article: Finding Sustainable Seafood Can Be Complex
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220810-can-eating-fish-ever-be-sustainable
Although this article does not spell it out, the implication for an end consumer wanting to buy sutainable will always rely on the product having traceability requirements. Certification is the best mechanism and signal we currently have for supply chains managers and consumers alike to achieve and verify this.
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220810-can-eating-fish-ever-be-sustainable
Although this article does not spell it out, the implication for an end consumer wanting to buy sutainable will always rely on the product having traceability requirements. Certification is the best mechanism and signal we currently have for supply chains managers and consumers alike to achieve and verify this.
"[The Marine Stewardship Council blue tick] means at least they are being audited, and they have to prove things," says Clarke. "It's a great way of just quickly and easily identifying whether something's a sustainable choice."
Certifications like these can also be a protection against fraud, a huge issue in the seafood industry.
A 2016 meta-analysis of DNA identification studies of seafood found that globally there was a 30% rate of misdescription – meaning the fish was not the species stated on the label or menu. But a 2019 DNA study by the Marine Stewardship Council found that seafood bearing its sustainability mark was labelled correctly over 99% of the time.
One issue with these labels, however, is that gaining them can be a significant process for a fishery involving data collection and a lot of paperwork – meaning not every fishery has the resources to receive the stamp, even if they are working sustainably.
ISEAL Core Metadata on Sustainability
https://www.isealalliance.org/isealcoremetadata
This project sought to codify a shared language for the sustainability community. All certification schemes or sustainability initiatives are based on similar data concepts: certificate holders, certified sites, location coordinates, dates for audits, indicators for compliance, publications, normative frameworks, etc. When data and information are standardised, they can inform multiple purposes (e.g., using monitoring and evaluation data to inform compliance assessment, or combining multiple organisations’ compliance results to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of risk for a specific region), making them more valuable. This standardisation will enable standards to better align the ways they communicate and demonstrate their performance in the sustainability landscape—maximizing the data’s ability to generate cross-sector business insights and reach less-informed external audiences.
https://www.isealalliance.org/isealcoremetadata
This project sought to codify a shared language for the sustainability community. All certification schemes or sustainability initiatives are based on similar data concepts: certificate holders, certified sites, location coordinates, dates for audits, indicators for compliance, publications, normative frameworks, etc. When data and information are standardised, they can inform multiple purposes (e.g., using monitoring and evaluation data to inform compliance assessment, or combining multiple organisations’ compliance results to achieve a more comprehensive understanding of risk for a specific region), making them more valuable. This standardisation will enable standards to better align the ways they communicate and demonstrate their performance in the sustainability landscape—maximizing the data’s ability to generate cross-sector business insights and reach less-informed external audiences.
Mars' Cocoa and Forests Action Plan
https://www.mars.com/about/policies-and-practices/cocoa-and-forests-policy
As part of our goal of sourcing 100% of our cocoa through our Responsible Cocoa program by 2025, we aim to achieve a?deforestation and conversion-free?supply chain (as defined by the Accountability Framework Initiative (AFi)). But not certified through independent scheme.
https://www.mars.com/about/policies-and-practices/cocoa-and-forests-policy
As part of our goal of sourcing 100% of our cocoa through our Responsible Cocoa program by 2025, we aim to achieve a?deforestation and conversion-free?supply chain (as defined by the Accountability Framework Initiative (AFi)). But not certified through independent scheme.
Understanding End-to-End Tea Traceability
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/insights/understand-end-to-end-traceability-for-tea/
Producers and companies will have a single transactional system to record all purchases and sales of Rainforest Alliance and UTZ certified tea, which also facilitates high level reporting for internal management, and for external disclosure, for example against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/insights/understand-end-to-end-traceability-for-tea/
Producers and companies will have a single transactional system to record all purchases and sales of Rainforest Alliance and UTZ certified tea, which also facilitates high level reporting for internal management, and for external disclosure, for example against the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Appellation d'origine contrôlée
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appellation_d%27origine_contr%C3%B4l%C3%A9e
In France, the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC, "controlled designation of origin") is a certification of authenticity granted to certain geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, under the auspices of the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO), based upon the terroir and a form of geographic protectionism.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appellation_d%27origine_contr%C3%B4l%C3%A9e
In France, the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC, "controlled designation of origin") is a certification of authenticity granted to certain geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, under the auspices of the Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO), based upon the terroir and a form of geographic protectionism.
Marin Trust
https://www.marin-trust.com/
Independent third-party audit and certification programme, allowing producers to demonstrate that marine ingredients are responsibly sourced & produced. Chain of Custody certifification included.
https://www.marin-trust.com/
Independent third-party audit and certification programme, allowing producers to demonstrate that marine ingredients are responsibly sourced & produced. Chain of Custody certifification included.
Beyond Corporations
https://www.msi-integrity.org/
For the past decade, MSI Integrity has investigated whether, when and how multi-stakeholder initiatives protect and promote human rights. The culmination of this research, detailing the significant limitations of MSIs, is available in our report Not Fit-for-Purpose.
https://www.msi-integrity.org/
For the past decade, MSI Integrity has investigated whether, when and how multi-stakeholder initiatives protect and promote human rights. The culmination of this research, detailing the significant limitations of MSIs, is available in our report Not Fit-for-Purpose.
Standards Map, Certification Standard Database
https://www.standardsmap.org/en/home
We provide free, accessible, comprehensive, verified and transparent information on over 300 standards for environmental protection, worker and labour rights, economic development, quality and food safety, as well as business ethics.
https://www.standardsmap.org/en/home
We provide free, accessible, comprehensive, verified and transparent information on over 300 standards for environmental protection, worker and labour rights, economic development, quality and food safety, as well as business ethics.
Fair Trade Certified Companies Lookup
https://partner.fairtradecertified.org/
Explore fair trade partners
https://partner.fairtradecertified.org/
Explore fair trade partners
Fair Trade Does Not Certify Shipping
https://trace-and-traceability.org/uid/7dae7f99-ebb2-11ec-a4fb-525400ede284
From Ninety Percent of Everything (2013, George)
https://trace-and-traceability.org/uid/7dae7f99-ebb2-11ec-a4fb-525400ede284
From Ninety Percent of Everything (2013, George)
Better Cotton Certificateholder Dashboard
https://bettercotton.org/where-is-better-cotton-grown/
Better Cotton certification dashboard
https://bettercotton.org/where-is-better-cotton-grown/
Better Cotton certification dashboard
AWS certification status dashboard
https://a4ws.org/certification/certified-sites/
Alliance for Water Stewardship certification dashboard
https://a4ws.org/certification/certified-sites/
Alliance for Water Stewardship certification dashboard
SBP certification dashboard
https://sbp-cert.org/accreditations-and-certifications/certificate-holders/
Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) certification dashboard
https://sbp-cert.org/accreditations-and-certifications/certificate-holders/
Sustainable Biomass Program (SBP) certification dashboard
RSPO certification dashboard
https://www.rspo.org/certification/search-for-certified-growers
RSPO sustainable palm oil grower certification status dashboard
https://www.rspo.org/certification/search-for-certified-growers
RSPO sustainable palm oil grower certification status dashboard
Coppermark certification status dashboard
https://coppermark.org/participants-home/participants/
Copper mark certified sites and status
https://coppermark.org/participants-home/participants/
Copper mark certified sites and status
Bon Sucro certification dashboard
https://bonsucro.com/certified-members-3/
Bon Sucro certification status updates
https://bonsucro.com/certified-members-3/
Bon Sucro certification status updates
ASC certification status dashboard
https://www.asc-aqua.org/find-a-farm/
Farm certification status overview
https://www.asc-aqua.org/find-a-farm/
Farm certification status overview
Rainforest Alliance commodity dashboard
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/find-certified/
Certification status dashboard
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/find-certified/
Certification status dashboard
MSC certified fishery dashboard
https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/
MSC dashboard for fishery certification status updates
https://fisheries.msc.org/en/fisheries/
MSC dashboard for fishery certification status updates
FSC Certificates Dashboard
https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiN2U3NGMyNWEtZTAxNS00MzVhLWExNmMtOThhZjdiYjQ4MWNkIiwidCI6IjEyNGU2OWRiLWVmNjUtNDk2Yi05NmE5LTVkNTZiZWMxZDI5MSIsImMiOjl9
FSC's dashboard for certifciate status updates
https://app.powerbi.com/view?r=eyJrIjoiN2U3NGMyNWEtZTAxNS00MzVhLWExNmMtOThhZjdiYjQ4MWNkIiwidCI6IjEyNGU2OWRiLWVmNjUtNDk2Yi05NmE5LTVkNTZiZWMxZDI5MSIsImMiOjl9
FSC's dashboard for certifciate status updates
Rainforest Alliance guidance Traceability document 2022
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RA-Traceability-Guidance.pdf
Traceability ensures that the Rainforest Alliance is able to follow a product from the brand owner back through the supply chain to a certified farm. Traceability is essential to ensure that products sold as certified comply with this promise. Traceability refers to the documentation that tracks the flows of certified volumes throughout the supply chain.
https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/RA-Traceability-Guidance.pdf
Traceability ensures that the Rainforest Alliance is able to follow a product from the brand owner back through the supply chain to a certified farm. Traceability is essential to ensure that products sold as certified comply with this promise. Traceability refers to the documentation that tracks the flows of certified volumes throughout the supply chain.
Chain of custody models and definitions
https://www.isealalliance.org/sites/default/files/resource/2017-11/ISEAL_Chain_of_Custody_Models_Guidance_September_2016.pdf
The Chain of Custody (CoC) System (CoC Standard and supporting assurance system) is one of the key elements of most sustainability standards systems.
The objective of the CoC System is to validate claims made about the product, process, business or service covered by the sustainability standard. This is achieved by defining a set of requirements and measures that provide the necessary controls on the movement of material or products, and associated sustainability data, from approved or certified businesses through each stage of the supply chain. Many standard systems set a CoC standard for this purpose, in addition to their production or management standard
https://www.isealalliance.org/sites/default/files/resource/2017-11/ISEAL_Chain_of_Custody_Models_Guidance_September_2016.pdf
The Chain of Custody (CoC) System (CoC Standard and supporting assurance system) is one of the key elements of most sustainability standards systems.
The objective of the CoC System is to validate claims made about the product, process, business or service covered by the sustainability standard. This is achieved by defining a set of requirements and measures that provide the necessary controls on the movement of material or products, and associated sustainability data, from approved or certified businesses through each stage of the supply chain. Many standard systems set a CoC standard for this purpose, in addition to their production or management standard
Book: Certifying China
https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph/5271/Certifying-ChinaThe-Rise-and-Limits-of
A comprehensive study of the growth, potential, and limits of transnational eco-certification in China and the implications for other emerging economies. China has long prioritized economic growth over environmental protection. But in recent years, the country has become a global leader in the fight to save the planet by promoting clean energy, cutting air and water pollution, and developing a system of green finance. In Certifying China, Yixian Sun explores the potential and limits of transnational eco-certification in moving the world's most populous country toward sustainable consumption and production. He identifies the forces that drive companies from three sectors—seafood, palm oil, and tea—to embrace eco-certification. The success of eco-certification, he says, will depend on the extent to which it wins the support of domestic actors in fast-growing emerging economies.
https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-monograph/5271/Certifying-ChinaThe-Rise-and-Limits-of
A comprehensive study of the growth, potential, and limits of transnational eco-certification in China and the implications for other emerging economies. China has long prioritized economic growth over environmental protection. But in recent years, the country has become a global leader in the fight to save the planet by promoting clean energy, cutting air and water pollution, and developing a system of green finance. In Certifying China, Yixian Sun explores the potential and limits of transnational eco-certification in moving the world's most populous country toward sustainable consumption and production. He identifies the forces that drive companies from three sectors—seafood, palm oil, and tea—to embrace eco-certification. The success of eco-certification, he says, will depend on the extent to which it wins the support of domestic actors in fast-growing emerging economies.