PARIS, 9th April 2015 – The Consumer Goods Forum (the CGF) today announced it is an official partner of the upcoming Business & Climate Summit in Paris from 20th-21st May 2015. The two-day event, held 200 days before COP21 and an official part of Paris Climate Week, is designed to showcase how business is now ready to play its role in meeting the climate challenge. Members of the CGF Board are expected to speak throughout the event.
 
The CGF will also be coordinating a thematic session on Land Use (Food, Forest and Agriculture). The session – 16:00-17:30 on 20th May – looks at how rapid global population growth, urbanisation, rising incomes and resource constraints are putting enormous pressure on land and water resources used by agriculture and forests, which are crucial to food security and livelihoods. 
 
The session is aimed at discussing key developments from both governments and private sector in order to tackle the most relevant issues in this area.
 
Ignacio Gavilan, head of the CGF’s Sustainability Pillar, said, “Climate change is a global challenge that we all need to recognise and take up. As the only consumer goods organisation bringing retailers and manufacturers together globally, our members fully appreciate the importance of collaboration and the need to work together synergistically to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop models for adapting to climate change. Governments can count on our support”.
 
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About the Business & Climate Summit
200 days before UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, the 20th-21st May Business & Climate Summit provides a unique forum for business and government leaders to demonstrate bold action, adopt forward-looking strategies and call for ambitious policies that will allow us to scale up solutions.
 
About The Consumer Goods Forum
The Consumer Goods Forum (“the CGF”) is a global, parity-based industry network that is driven by its members.  It brings together the CEOs and senior management of some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries, and it reflects the diversity of the industry in geography, size, product category and format.  Its member companies have combined sales of EUR 2.5 trillion and directly employ nearly 10 million people, with a further 90 million related jobs estimated along the value chain. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises 50 manufacturer and retailer CEOs.
 
The CGF’s mission is, “Bringing together consumer goods manufacturers and retailers in pursuit of business practices for efficiency and positive change across our industry benefiting shoppers, consumers and the world without impeding competition”. It provides a unique global platform for the development of global industry processes and standards as well as sharing best practices. Its activities are organised around the following strategic priorities: Sustainability, Product Safety, Health & Wellness, and End-to-End Value Chain & Standards, each of which is central to better serving consumers.
 
The CGF’s success is driven by the active participation of its members who together develop and lead the implementation of best practices along the value chain. With its headquarters in Paris and its regional offices in Washington, D.C. and Tokyo, the CGF serves its members throughout the world.
 
For more information, please visit: www.theconsumergoodsforum.com.
 
For further information, please contact:
 
Ignacio Gavilan
Director, Sustainability
The Consumer Goods Forum
Tel: +33 182 00 95 57
Email: i.gavilan@theconsumergoodsforum.com
 
Lee Green
Senior Manager, Communications
The Consumer Goods Forum
Tel: +33 182 00 95 70
Email: l.green@theconsumergoodsforum.com