Blog06 Oct 2023Forest Positive
Improving derivative supplier engagement by collaborating with implementers This impact story is part of a collection of narratives that bring to life some of the complex challenges Forest Positive Coalition members are facing on our forest positive journey and our lessons learned. We’re...
Blog19 Apr 2023Forest Positive
How Kellogg Company Supports Farmer Livelihoods Kellogg is one of the original plant-based companies. Our founder understood the importance of using quality ingredients and giving back to communities. Naturally, farmers and their workers are at the heart of these ideas. Kellogg’s...
News Update21 May 2025Forest Positive
Driving the Human Rights and Forest Agendas Forward: CGF at SPOD 2025 At the Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue (SPOD) Europe 2025 on 21 May, over 250 stakeholders from business, civil society, and government gathered to explore the role of companies in creating fair, equitable, and sustainable palm...
Blog06 Oct 2023Forest Positive
Coalition engagement with certification schemes This impact story is part of a collection of narratives that bring to life some of the complex challenges Forest Positive Coalition members are facing on our forest positive journey and our lessons learned. We’re...
Blog15 Nov 2022Forest Positive
How Unilever is Supporting Sustainable Palm Oil Production Through a Landscape Approach in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia At Unilever, we are committed to achieving a deforestation-free supply chain. We recognise that the private sector must work in partnership to tackle challenging issues. Since joining the Forest Positive Coalition, we engaged with other...
Blog11 Dec 2023Sustainable Retail Summit
Making Strides with our Partners Towards Deforestation-free Supply Chains Every year, the world loses around 10 million hectares of forest, while deforestation alone accounts for 11% of greenhouse gas emissions. Europe is leading the way in deforestation legislation with their European Union Deforestation Regulation...
Blog26 Sep 2023Forest Positive
Smallholder outreach via production landscapes This impact story is part of a collection of narratives that bring to life some of the complex challenges Forest Positive Coalition members are facing on our forest positive journey and our lessons learned. We’re...
News Update07 Nov 2022Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative
SSCI Kicks Off Development of Environmental Benchmark at Sustainable Retail Summit On 28th October 2022, the Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI), a Coalition of Action from The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), continued its work to develop a benchmark for independent environmental sustainability audit and compliance standards...
Blog23 Sep 2015Planet
Stopping Deforestation Must be at Heart of a Successful Paris Climate Deal In 2010 The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) recognised that it had to help its members tackle deforestation in their supply chains. The CGF Board agreed a Resolution that committed its members to achieving zero...
News Update06 Apr 2017
CGF Participates in Guardian Live Chat Debate on Sustainable Palm Oil Earlier this week, CGF Environmental Sustainability Director, Ignacio Gavilan, participated in a live chat debate on sustainable palm oil. The debate was held by Guardian Sustainable Business and was supported by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. Participants...
News Update24 Aug 2021Forest Positive
CGF Forest Positive Coalition Sponsors the 2021 Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue – Europe The Consumer Goods Forum’s Forest Positive Coalition (FPC) is proud to sponsor this year’s annual Sustainable Palm Oil Dialogue (SPOD) – Europe, to be held virtually from 27th to 29th September. SPOD – Europe is...
Blog26 Jan 2015Planet
Fighting for Forests: The Leuser Ecosystem But as well as providing a unique home for nature, the Leuser ecosystem also provides essential services to millions of Sumatrans. Their livelihoods and food supply rely on environmental services such as freshwater for...
News Update16 Dec 2019Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative
SSCI Senior Manager Speaks at “India and Sustainability Standards” in New Delhi On 20th – 22nd November, Thomas van Haaren, Senior Manager, Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative, attended and spoke at the “India and Sustainability Standards (ISS)” conference, which took place in New Delhi, India. Organised and hosted...
Blog18 Oct 2017Forest Positive
Achieving Zero Deforestation with the HCV and HCS Approach Increasingly, consumer goods companies are committing to eliminating deforestation from their supply chains. The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), a platform bringing together some 400 consumer goods manufacturers and retailers from around the world, has...
Press Release06 Jul 2015
Ten International Banks Commit to Finance Sustainable Agricultural Commodities by 2020 LONDON and PARIS, 6th July 2014 – Standard Chartered Bank today become the tenth bank to formally adopt the Soft Commodities Compact, which aligns the banking industry with The Consumer Goods Forum’s resolution to help...
Blog09 Jun 2015
Can Changing How World Trade is Financed Actually Change the World? The work in question is the BEI’s ‘Sustainable Shipment Letter of Credit’, the first product development output of the Compact, which aims to pave the way for banks to promote and incentivise the trade...
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.