Sustainable Business Podcast by Innovation Forum

Insight into challenges in the natural rubber sector from: Karen Steer, manager at the Rainforest Alliance and rubber lead for the Accountability Framework; Stefano Savi, director of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber; Philippe de Groot, head of agronomy at SOCFIN; and, Ana Arce, senior manager for corporate sustainability governance at Bridgestone Americas, talking with Innovation Forum’s Ian Welsh.

They discuss how AFi has partnered with GPSNR and its members to develop a policy framework that addresses the specific supply chain risks in the rubber sector, and how the industry is collaborating to streamline and standardise approaches.  

This week: IDH’s Matthew Spencer, Proforest’s Ruth Nussbaum and Conservation International’s John Buchanan discuss the landscape approach collaborative platform SourceUp that links global sourcing companies with grower communities.

And, Innovation Forum’s Hanna Halmari gives an update on the upcoming responsible sourcing and ethical trade conference.

Plus: the latest IPCC report’s gloomy climate change assessments; UN Environment Assembly agrees to broker comprehensive plastic pollution solution; and, soil plastic pollution may be more serious than in the oceans, says FAO, in the news digest.

Host: Ian Welsh

Emma Thomson, Forest 500 lead at Global Canopy, talks with Ian Welsh about the recently launched Forest 500 update on progress from big companies and financial institutions on deforestation. The big take away is that while many companies have been making big positive commitments, not least at COP26, there is still not the evidence of action on the ground that will be necessary for them to achieve their forest goals.

Textile Exchange’s La Rhea Pepper, Claire Bergkamp and Megan Stoneburner talk with Ian Welsh about the trends emerging from the increasing use of manmade cellulosic fibres in textile and apparel supply chains, and the resultant challenges, not least around avoiding deforestation. As ever, addressing these effectively requires collaboration and sensitive sourcing policies.

This week: Craig Mills, CEO of Vizzuality, talks about how data can best be presented so it is usable and so different functions in a busines can collaborate effectively to drive innovation. Increased frequency of data update – for example for deforestation on a daily basis rather than annual – enables companies to engage with their operations and supply chain in a significantly more dynamic way.

Plus: Singapore sets more punchy future carbon price; more forced labour in Thailand; UK Climate Change Committee to focus on delivery and implementation; and, Tesco removes 1.5bn pieces of plastic from packaging, in the news digest.  

And, Innovation Forum’s Natasha Bodnar gives an update on the upcoming business climate action conference.  

Host: Ian Welsh

David Antonioli, CEO of standard setting body Verra, explains to Ian Welsh how carbon offsetting can be part of broader corporate emissions reduction programmes, but why offsetting alone cannot move the world economy net zero emissions. He outlines the key characteristics of credible and robust verified emissions reduction credits, and why standard setters have to take a nimble approach to evolve as technology develops.  

This week: Karen Steer, manager at the Rainforest Alliance, and lead for the Accountability Framework, Stefano Savi, director of the Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber, Philippe de Groot, head of agronomy at SOCFIN, and Ana Arce, senior manager for corporate sustainability governance at Bridgestone Americas, discuss the challenges for sustainable rubber supply chains, and the technology and collaborative solutions being developed to help.  

Also, hear from Anna Turrell, head of environment, Tesco, and Sarah Wakefield, head of food transformation, WWF, talking with Toby Webb about the Tesco and WWF Sustainability Innovation Fund for late-stage agricultural sector innovators. Click here for more information.

And, Innovation Forum’s Hanna Halmari gives an update on the upcoming sustainable apparel and textiles conference.

Plus: BNP Paribas, Standard Chartered and UBS join Carbonplace offsets technology platform; Coca-Cola to boost returnable and refillable containers use to 25%; new research pointing to soy-linked deforestation in Brazil; and, new Barclays report shows how UK retailers are ending supplier relationships because of ESG risks, in the news digest.

Host: Ian Welsh   

In this conference session, recorded at Innovation Forum’s recent sustainable landscapes and commodities conference, joining Toby Webb are: Dann Wensing, CEO, IDH; Mariane Crespolini dos Santos, director of sustainable production and irrigation, Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply; Megan Willis, sustainability director, agricultural supply chains, Asia Pacific, Cargill; and, Michal Zrust, founder and executive director, Lestari Capital.

The panel assess current landscape approaches and what has worked so far. The discussion includes what needs to be done to create the right incentives and finance mechanisms to enable sustainable landscapes at scale.   

This week: Ian Suwarganda, head of policy and partnerships, sustainability and communications at Golden Agri-Resources, and Róisín Mortimer, lead private sector engagement and programming at the Tropical Forest Alliance, talk about changing regulatory landscapes in palm oil and other commodities, and unintended consequences of what’s proposed.

Plus, Innovation Forum’s Toby Webb and Peter Stanbury discuss Nestlé’s new plan to tackle child labour and other challenges in its cocoa supply chain. And, Emily Heslop talks about the future of food USA conference that’s coming up in June.

In the news digest: new USDA $1bn climate smart commodities project; Brazil’s Amazon deforestation spike; research suggesting that big brands are going to miss emissions targets; WWF research that says ocean plastic on track to increase for decades; and, Italy enshrines environmental protection in its constitution.

Host: Ian Welsh

Alan McClay, CEO of Better Cotton, talks with Toby Webb about the challenges around market transformation in the cotton sector. Better Cotton’s recently set 2030 target on greenhouse gas emissions is for a 50% reduction per tonne of cotton. Other targets – on lower pesticide use, gender empowerment, farmer livelihoods and soil health – will be released during 2022. For McClay, success will mean delivering real impact and continuously, so that brands will be able to sell cotton products that have the good story that they want to tell.