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...
Blog13 Jan 2022Plastic Waste
Stronger Together: Plastics & Packaging Solution Requires Innovative Partnerships Packaging protects the products we love and provides information about how to use them safely and responsibly – but packaging needs to become part of a circular economy. We, at Asahi Europe & International have...
Press Release27 Jan 2010Planet
Retailers and Manufacturers Join Forces to Drive Global Change in Packaging Global project on packaging and sustainability enters pilot phase PARIS, 27th January 2010 – In an ongoing effort to drive global change in packaging, leaders from many of the world’s largest consumer goods companies...
Blog02 Sep 2021Plastic Waste
Reducing Packaging Waste: A Journey of Collaboration Amcor & Mars Food partnered to introduce more sustainable packaging for microwavable rice pouches A formidable first for microwaveable food as well as for stand-up pouch packaging The path to more sustainable packaging and products...
Press Release06 Sep 2011
Consumer Goods Companies Release First Global Measurement System for Packaging Sustainability PARIS, France, 6th September 2011 – The Consumer Goods Forum today announced the release of the Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability (GPPS) to enable the consumer goods industry to better assess the relative sustainability...
Press Release08 Dec 2020Plastic Waste
World’s Leading Brands and Retailers Join Forces to Tackle Plastic Waste Challenge Through Packaging and Policy Commitments PARIS, 8 December 2020 — Demonstrating global leadership in the consumer goods industry’s effort to tackle the plastic pollution challenge and help advance a world where no plastic waste ends up in nature, the Plastic...
Press Release01 Jul 2010
Consumer Goods Companies Tackle Packaging and Sustainability The Consumer Goods Forum initiative releases global framework measurement system for trading partners PARIS, 1st July, 2010 – The Consumer Goods Forum is delighted to release the first report from its Sustainability workstream. ...
Blog28 Sep 2021Food Waste
Three Ways CGF Members Can Partner with Food Banks on International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste and Every Day Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the world faced a monumental challenge: a staggering 650 million people faced hunger. The global crisis has only exacerbated this problem, pushing an additional 118 million people into hunger. At the...
Blog13 Oct 2020Industry Solutions
Making Packaging Intelligent Through the Use of Digital Watermarks: A Deep Dive Into Project HolyGrail & the New Possibilities of HolyGrail2.0 HolyGrail is a collaborative effort designed to solve one of the largest obstacles facing plastic recycling – inefficient sorting at sorting and/or recycling facilities. In 2016, as P&G’s sustainable packaging expert, I worked with P&G...
Blog08 Dec 2022Plastic Waste
How We Design Our Way Out of Our Plastic Problem Our relationship with plastic needs to change, and fast. The urgency around the plastics issue has been felt even more keenly since negotiations for a legally binding global plastic treaty began last month. There is...
Blog20 Jun 2022Industry Solutions
The Future of Ethical Commerce and Sustainability in Fast Moving Consumer Goods Companies (FMCG) The UN World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sustainability is therefore the process by...
Blog24 Sep 2019Food Waste
Fighting Food Waste Starts with Respecting Food Recent data shows that in Germany alone 12 million tons of food goes to waste every year. Worldwide this adds up to more than 1.3 billion tons of edible food that ends up on landfills....
News Update09 Mar 2022Plastic Waste
CGF Sustainability Director Joins Panel on Plastic Packaging at The Economist Group’s World Ocean Summit On March 3rd, Director of Sustainability at The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), Ignacio Gavilan joined a panel discussion dedicated to rethinking plastic packaging solutions at The Economist Group’s World Ocean Summit. Ignacio who oversees the...
Press Release07 Mar 2017Planet
New Research Finds Companies Saved 14 Dollars for Every 1 Dollar Invested in Reducing Food Waste PARIS, 7th March, 2017 – One-third of all food produced in the world is never eaten, which has tremendous economic, social and environmental consequences. New research on behalf of Champions 12.3 finds that for every...
Press Release13 Apr 2022Plastic Waste
Consumer Goods Companies Announce Position on Chemical Recycling Technologies and Publish Life Cycle Assessment PARIS, 13th April, 2022 – 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...
Blog31 Jan 2019Plastic Waste
Our Plastics Plan: What We’ve Achieved in the First Four Months In September, we outlined how we were step changing our approach to using plastic and we shared an update on our progress before Christmas on our blog. Four months on, here’s our highlight achievements: Reducing...
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.