News Update03 Apr 2020Corporate
Special Edition: Industry Actions to Tackle Covid-19 and Support People The strength of the CGF lies in its collaborative efforts and ability to bring our industry together to discuss challenges impacting our people, our customers and our businesses, and to share best practices and knowledge....
Blog22 Apr 2020Planet
#EarthDay: Why Sustainability Must Remain an Industry Priority Despite Covid-19 This year’s Earth Day has taken on new significance, as the global community continues to grapple to control the Covid-19 pandemic, an unprecedented crisis in our modern times with far-reaching and inter-connected global challenges and...
Press Release24 Sep 2020Human Rights
The Consumer Goods Forum Board Issues Letter to UN Secretary General to Encourage Governments to Unblock Sea Transportation Routes and Protect Seafarers’ Wellbeing PARIS, 24th September 2020 — Members of The Consumer Goods Forum Board of Directors have published a letter addressed to the UN Secretary General Mr António Guterres. The letter calls on Mr Guterres to encourage...
Press Release20 Mar 2020Corporate
Statement: CGF Response to Covid-19 Protecting the health and wellbeing of people around the world has been a key strategic priority of The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) for more than a decade. However, at no time since the CGF was...
Press Release20 Mar 2020Global Summit
CGF Statement on the Global Summit and FLP Conference 2020 Given the ongoing global health crisis regarding Covid-19, it is with regret that we have taken the decision to cancel the Global Summit in London, 16th-19th June 2020, and the FLP Conference, 15th-17th June 2020....
Podcast22 Jul 2020Corporate
Insights on Consumer Behaviour in Light of COVID-19 In this episode of The Consumer Goods Forum’s Podcast, guest Lynn Evison from Alvarez and Marsal shares insights on the evolving landscape of the retail industry from the group’s latest report. The report, “The Shape...
Podcast03 Dec 2020Corporate
Collaboration, Action & a Better Tomorrow In this episode of The Consumer Goods Forum’s Corporate Podcast Series, we talk to Isabelle Grosmaitre, the One Planet. One Health Catalyst at Danone, and Co-Chair of the CGF’s Collaboration for Healthier Lives Coalition of...
News Update01 Aug 2022Food Waste
CGF Japan Collaborates with Save the Children Japan for the Second Year to Provide Food Support Boxes The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF)’s Japan Sustainability Local Group (JSLG), WRI 10x20x30 Food Waste Reduction Initiative Japan Project and Save the Children Japan have agreed to collaborate and conduct this supporting program in July and...
Blog30 Jun 2021Human Rights
International Day of the Seafarer: Giving a Voice to the 400,000 Seafarers Trapped at Sea The Day of the Seafarer may not be a day that is at the forefront of public consciousness, but it should be. The coronavirus has devastated lives on a global scale and perhaps irreparably shifted...
Blog15 Apr 2021Industry Solutions
What’s Driving Change in Food Manufacturing? Shifts in food manufacturing often mirror consumer trends, but they typically reflect technological advancements, too. Here are four things worth watching in 2021 and beyond. Using freshness sensors for food packaging Anyone who regularly shops...
Press Release28 Jan 2021Food Waste
Actions from Consumer Goods Companies to Drive Down Food Waste Showcased in New Case Study Booklet from The Consumer Goods Forum PARIS, 28 January — The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has today published the newest edition of its Food Waste Case Study Booklet, a collection of stories from CGF members, including those of its Food Waste...
Blog13 Oct 2020Sustainable Retail Summit
Corporate Attitudes Towards Sustainability: a Growing Priority as a Result of Covid-19 For corporates, it is readily accepted that climate change and environmental pressures are going to increasingly disrupt business as usual. However, in a time of a global pandemic and economic upheaval, some may assume that...
Blog13 Oct 2020Sustainable Retail Summit
The View From 2023: How the Pandemic Helped Us Build the Next Generation of Safe Retail Fast-forward about three years. It’s late 2023. The pandemic of 2020 is behind us. The much-anticipated vaccine was successful, widely distributed, and we’re living in what is commonly known as “the new normal.” Most of...
Blog02 Sep 2020Data-Driven Value Chain
Data Transparency Takes Centre Stage Throughout the Pandemic The rate of change in consumer demand witnessed over the past few months has been unprecedented, calling attention to the importance of effective lines of communication between suppliers and retailers. As demand for certain products spiked and supply...
Blog03 Jul 2020Corporate
Consumers and the ‘New Normal’: Which Retail Changes Could Become Permanent as a Result of COVID-19? The retail sector has weathered its fair share of storms in recent years, from business rates to the growing influence of e-commerce. But even if retail veterans have become seasoned crisis responders, industry challenges do...
Blog16 Jun 2020Industry Solutions
We Are In This Together: How COVID-19 Has Accelerated The Need For Partnerships We recently conducted dedicated research to gather the perspectives on how retailers and suppliers are being impacted and are adapting in key markets around the world: China, Brazil, Italy, Spain, Portugal and the UK. We...
STANDARD: The BRCGS Global Standard for Ethical Trade & Responsible Sourcing Issue 2 achieved SSCI Recognition under Scope AI — Social Compliance: Manufacturing & Processing in November 2021.
BRCGS is an established global standards leader, with a rigorous GFSI recognised assurance program that touches every aspect of the 21st century supply chain – from food ingredients to packaging, distribution, retail and beyond. It sets the benchmark for best practice manufacturing, helping to provide reassurance that products and services are high quality, legal and safe. BRCGS is recognised across food and non-food categories as the global standard underpinning brand reputation through compliance, at over 30,000 certificated sites in 130 countries. Visit brcgs.com to find out more.
Fairness, Integrity, Safety, and Health (FISH) Standard for Crew
STANDARD: FISH Standard for Crew Version 1.0 achieved SSCI Recognition in March 2025 for Scope CI — Social Compliance: At-Sea Operations.
The Fairness, Integrity, Safety, and Health (FISH) Standard for Crew is a voluntary, third party labour certification program for wild harvest fishing vessels. FISH is designed to provide harvesters a tool to demonstrate to customers and other stakeholders that the seafood harvested comes from responsible sources with respect to crew treatment, compensation, and conditions. It was developed with input from the full seafood supply chain, including large and small harvesters, processors, retailers and restaurant groups, in consultation with labour non-profit organisations, to create a program that is open to vessels and fleets of all sizes around the globe. Read more about the Standard here.
STANDARD: The Florverde standard for the sustainable production of flowers and ornamentals version 7.2.1 achieved SSCI Recognition under Scope BI – Social Compliance: Primary Production in April 2024.
Florverde Sustainable Flowers (FSF) is an independent social and environmental standard which ensures that flowers certified under this scheme have been responsibly produced. This requires flower growers to adopt measures that will protect and enable worker’s rights, implement best environmental practices, and comply with national regulations. FSF also helps safeguard quality by requiring the proper care and handling of flowers.
STANDARD: FSSC 24000 Social Management System Certification Version 6.0 achieved SSCI Recognition under Scope AI — Social Compliance: Processing and Manufacturing in January 2024.
The aim of FSSC 24000 is to ensure that social sustainability management system requirements are met, resulting in certifications that assure organisations provide safe and fair working conditions, meet business ethics requirements, and apply due diligence in their supply chain management. FSSC 24000 provides a strategic approach incorporating the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle and risk-based thinking, which ensures the identification and control of social risk and continuous improvement. This process demonstrates corporate responsibility and facilitates improving the social management systems and performance thus driving impact.
FSSC 24000’s scope of certification includes the manufacturing and processing sector (food and non-food), including its related service provision. The certificate confirms that the organisation’s social sustainability management system is in conformance with the FSSC 24000 Scheme requirements based on the following normative documents:
BSI/PAS 24000:2022 – Social management system requirements (Publicly Available Specification)
FSSC 24000 Additional Requirements (as determined by the FSSC Board of Stakeholders)
The FSSC 24000 certification scheme is owned and governed by the non-profit Foundation FSSC and outlines the requirements for the audit and certification of a Social Sustainability Management System of an organization. More information on the FSSC 24000 Scheme is available on their website.
Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard
STANDARD: The Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard 2.1 achieved SSCI Recognition under Scope CI — Social Compliance: At-Sea Operations in November 2022.
In 2018, Global Seafood Assurances and the UK Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish) announced a memorandum of understanding to work together to create the next version of the Responsible Fishing Scheme (RFS), committing to expand its global applicability, which resulted in the creation of the Responsible Fishing Vessel Standard. Now part of the Global Seafood Alliance, GSA took ownership of the standards last year. The first RFVS-certified vessel was announced in Australia in January, and the second set of RFVS-certified vessels was announced in the United Kingdom in April. The standard addresses social responsibility, including working conditions and worker voice, about fishing vessels.
STANDARD: The SIZA Social Standard Version 6 achieved SSCI Recognition under Scopes AI — Social Compliance: Manufacturing & Processing, and BI — Social Compliance: Primary Production in June 2023.
SIZA, the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa, is enabling the South African agricultural sector to become a global leader in sustainable farming, ethical trade, and environmental stewardship. The aim is to encourage continuous improvement in practices over time. SIZA aims to have a cost-effective approach for growers by supplying one standard and one audit, no matter which market a producer supplies. SIZA engages directly with stakeholders throughout the value chain to improve supply chain sustainability, ensuring compliance and reducing risks while at the same time offering support and training with regard to best practices and continuous improvement. Verification occurs via third-party audits. For more information on SIZA, please visit our website: www.siza.co.za
Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association (WIETA)
STANDARD: WIETA Standard Version 4.0 achieved SSCI recognition under Scope AI — Social Compliance: Manufacturing & Processing, and BI — Social Compliance: Primary Production in January 2025.
The Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trade Association T/A WIETA was the first South African social standard, established in 2002, to establish an appropriate social auditing methodology for fruit and wine suppliers in South Africa. WIETA proudly demonstrates how a multi-stakeholder model can successfully promote a world class ethical trade and human rights programme within the wine value chain. Innovative social dialogue engagements, a rigorous capacity building and training programme for both workers and producers, coupled with a participative multi-pronged approach to auditing and remedial approach to ensure sustained corrective actions.
Founded in 2003, the amfori BSCI enables companies to drive sustainability by setting up the human rights due diligence principles that business enterprises strive to implement in their global supply chain.
Representing over 2,400 participants in 46 countries, the amfori BSCI operates in a variety of sectors, the two largest being General Merchandise, and Garment & Textile with a combined annual turnover is evaluated to EUR 1.6 trillion.
The amfori BSCI Code of Conduct set out the values and principles for the implementation of supply chain due diligence, based on the OECD’s six-step framework. The amfori BSCI System Manual outlines the supporting tools and methodology for participants to exercise human rights due diligence and environmental protection set out in the amfori BSCI Code of Conduct.
Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA)
STANDARD:The Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) is currently being benchmarked under Scope BI – Social Compliance: Primary Production.
Ethiopian Horticulture Producer Exporters Association (EHPEA) is a business membership organisation which was established in 2002. It is an organisation meant to promote the interest of its members who are engaged in the production and export of cut flowers, fruit, vegetables, herbs, cuttings as well as vegetable seeds.
STANDARD: The KFC Flowers and Ornamentals Sustainability Standard Version December 2021 is currently being benchmarked under Scopes AI — Social Compliance: Manufacturing & Processing, and BI — Social Compliance: Primary Production.
Kenya Flower Council (KFC) is the country’s leading Business Membership Association for growers and exporters of cut-flower and ornamentals. KFC members account for approximately 80 percent of Kenya’s floricultural exports.
KFC also owns the Flowers and Ornamentals Sustainability Standards (FOSS), a trusted standard worldwide. It is one of only three internationally benchmarked standards that demonstrate sustainable social, environmental and good agricultural business practice benchmarks set by the EU-based Floriculture Sustainability Initiative (FSI). The standard encourages commitment to ethical practices, innovation and promoting equitable trading practices, thus ensuring that certified producers foster sustainable, responsible and safe production of cut flowers and ornamentals.
The Council is in the forefront promoting Kenya as a reliable source of quality cut flowers and ornamentals and the country’s competitiveness in the global floriculture trade. KFC is actively engaged in all major trade negotiations in existing, new and emerging markets and in amplifying Kenya’s image in the international market as the most trusted source of cut flowers and ornamentals.
Currently, Kenya is the third largest producer of cut-flowers and ornamentals in the world and exports to over 60 destinations globally. Floriculture is the fastest growing export sector in the Kenyan economy, providing direct employment for over 200,000 workers.
KFC engages with key actors locally for a favourable business environment for growers and exporters of cut flowers and ornamentals.
STANDARD: The MPS-SQ Standard is currently being benchmarked under Scope BI — Social Compliance: Primary Production.
MPS, owned by Stichting MPS, is a leading organisation dedicated to supporting sustainability in the agricultural sector through its trusted certification schemes. The MPS-SQ Standard, introduced in 2002, is designed to ensure that agricultural products are produced under good working conditions. The standard applies to growers and their entire company, addressing key areas such as employee working conditions, health, and safety. It is built on universal human rights, the codes of conduct of local representative organisations, and international agreements of the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
The MPS-SQ Standard also ensures fair treatment for family members working in family-run agricultural operations and sets minimum requirements for working conditions, encouraging compliance with stricter national, local, or international laws to provide the highest level of worker protection. By promoting ethical labour practices, My MPS aims to improve worker safety, health, and well-being while enhancing the image of the agricultural sector. MPS is applying for SSCI’s Scope BI — Social Compliance: Primary Production, reaffirming its commitment to advancing sustainable and responsible practices across the agricultural supply chain.
The Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard, is designed to deliver more value to the more than four million farmers and workers and thousands of businesses that use Rainforest Alliance certification to drive more sustainable agricultural production and responsible supply chains. The Sustainable Agriculture Standard is used in more than 70 countries around the globe. Their program focuses on coffee, cocoa, tea, bananas, and many other important commodity sectors facing urgent environmental and social challenges.