Blog23 Feb 2021Plastic Waste
How the World Is Progressing Towards a Circular Economy for Plastic Since 2018, more than 1,000 organisations have united behind a common vision and targets for a circular economy for plastic. In just a few years, the circular economy has been put on the agenda of...
Blog10 Dec 2018Plastic Waste
Sorting Fact from Fiction: Can Plastic Packaging and the Circular Economy Co-Exist? Speaking at an event run by The Consumer Goods Forum, Amcor’s Sustainability Director Dr. Gerald Rebitzer examines whether packaging and the circular economy can ever co-exist. In October at the Sustainable Retail Summit, I asked...
Blog05 Dec 2019Sustainable Retail Summit
Why Retailers Are Integral to a Circular Economy for Packaging At this year’s Sustainable Retail Summit, Amcor discussed the circular economy for packaging and the important role retailers play in making it possible. In October 2019, Amcor was joined by CEFLEX and mtm plastics at...
Blog03 Dec 2019Industry Solutions
The Balanced Economy – How Marketers Are Growing Closer to Consumers In a world dictated by technology and social media, consumer brand loyalty is more relevant than ever before. That’s right, 43% of consumers are spending more money at brands that they are loyal to, which...
News Update04 Apr 2023Plastic Waste
To Mark First-Ever Zero Waste Day, CGF Director of Sustainability Explains Why We Need to Create a Circular Economy In a recent article published by EDIE, The Consumer Goods Forum Director of Sustainability, Ignacio Gavilan, marks the UN’s first-ever Zero Waste Day by exploring the necessity of creating a circular economy. Entitled “Creating a...
Podcast19 Jul 2019Plastic Waste
Circular Economy and the Future of Plastics In this month’s Sustainability Podcast Series, Sander Defruyt, who leads the New Plastics Economy Initiative at the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, digs into the topic of plastics and offers his insight in to our industry’s progress...
News Update21 Nov 2018Planet
Ignacio Gavilan Speaks at EuroCommerce Conference on Circular Economy in Brussels On 17th October 2018, Environmental Sustainability Director Ignacio Gavilan spoke at a conference organised by EuroCommerce, entitled “Circular Economy – Scaling up Market Solutions in Retail and Wholesale”. Speakers and delegates discussed how retail &...
Publication08 Dec 2020Plastic Waste
Building a Circular Economy for Packaging: A View from the Consumer Packaged Goods Industry on Optimal Extended Producer Responsibility To progress towards a circular economy, the performance of waste management and recycling systems throughout the world needs to urgently improve. As leading manufacturers and retailers of consumer packaged goods, we believe that Extended Producer...
Video23 May 2023Plastic Waste
Delivering a Circular Economy for Plastics – A Message from CGF Plastic Waste Coalition CEOs A legally binding UN treaty is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to end the plastic pollution crisis in a globally coordinated way. Hear from CEOs from member companies of the CGF Plastic Waste Coalition about leading industry...
Blog05 Nov 2015
Phasing Down HFCs: Good for the Climate and the Economy The good news is that although HFCs are extremely potent, they only remain in the atmosphere for about 15 years, so their concentrations can be reduced soon after emissions are cut. From November 1-5, Dubai...
Publication13 Apr 2022Planet
Chemical Recycling in a Circular Economy A Vision and Principles Paper As part of its mission to tackle the plastic pollution challenge and help advance a world where no plastic ends up in nature, The Consumer Goods Forum’s (CGF) Plastic Waste Coalition of Action (the Coalition)...
News Update11 Dec 2023
CGF Sustainability Director Joins Panel on Circular Economy at INC-3 in Nairobi On 16th November, Director of Sustainability at The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), Cédric Dever, joined a panel discussion dedicated to a circular economy for plastics at the third session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-3),...
Blog09 Oct 2019Planet
Sustainable Packaging and Certification Solutions within the Circular Economy The forest sector, through its advancement of sustainably managed forests and forest-based products, has a significant role to play in the circular economy and can provide critical solutions for global sustainability challenges. Through sustainable packaging...
Blog11 May 2021Industry Solutions
Squaring the Circle I started this blog on Earth Day, 23rd April 2021. Amid watching a documentary on whales, heartfelt pleas for a better future by young activist Bella Lack, and dances and songs that celebrate the natural...
Video17 Sep 2020Sustainable Retail Summit
Sustainable Retail Summit Expert Series: Sander Defruyt, Lead of the New Plastics Economy, Ellen MacArthur Foundation Registrations for the virtual Sustainable Retail Summit are now open! Click here to visit the event website.
Press Release29 Oct 2018Plastic Waste
Consumer Goods Industry Moves to Act on Plastic Waste PARIS, 29th October 2018 – The Board of Directors of The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has today issued a statement calling for the consumer goods industry to play a leading role in eliminating plastic waste...
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.