The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) Forest Positive Coalition of Action has published the first version of its Beef Roadmap – a document aimed at promoting a forest-positive future in the beef supply chains.
The roadmap will help address deforestation and conversion associated with the production of beef with support from the Coalition's partners – Proforest and the Tropical Forest Alliance.
Didier Bergeret, director of sustainability at The Consumer Goods Forum, said, “This final Roadmap is a major achievement not only for the Forest Positive Coalition of Action, but the consumer goods industry and beef sector at large.
“We are thankful to the many organisations and stakeholders who collaborated with us to arrive at this milestone, and we look forward to supporting companies as they implement the actions in the Roadmap and transparently report on their progress.”
Objectives
Coalition members will set higher benchmarks for suppliers and meatpackers for implementation across their entire supply base.
Members will seek opportunities for collaboration to drive sector-wide transformation, focusing on the role they can play and the contributions they can make.
In addition, they will transparently report on progress to ensure accountability.
One of the key goals includes the creation of value chains with upstream suppliers who are also committed to implementing forest positive measures across their businesses, the CGF added.
'A Key Milestone'
Pedro Amaral, Senior Sustainability Manager at Mars, Petcare, and co-chair of the Forest Positive Coalition Beef Working Group, said, “This is a key milestone for us, because it catalyses expanded adoption of best practices and collaboration to address remaining gaps in the beef sustainability agenda”.”
The Coalition has also published Guidance for Forest Positive Suppliers of Cattle Derived Products (Meatpackers in Brazil) – a document setting out how meatpackers can adopt sourcing practices that will allow them to meet the Coalition’s goals.
Susy Yoshimura, Sustainability Compliance Director, GPA/ASSAI, and Matthieu Riché, Corporate Social Responsibility Group Director, Groupe Casino, added, “The ‘Guidance on Forest Positive Suppliers of Cattle-derived Products’ defines a vision for the industry, the principles of cooperation among all stakeholders and a common ambition for all members of the Forest Positive Coalition Beef Working Group.”
Complementing Best Practices
The Coalition’s strategy for the beef sector has been developed to complement the best practices already in place in Brazil developed by local cattle raisers, meatpackers and geomonitoring companies.
Both documents have been published after an in-depth stakeholder consultation process, which included local and international NGOs, and large and medium-sized meatpackers in Brazil.
Paulo Pianez, Sustainability Director at Marfrig, said, “We were happy to contribute to the development of the Roadmap and Guidance, building on the learnings of our partnerships with the value chain in Brazil and in line with efforts to bring isonomy to the sector. I am confident that together we will build a much more sustainable and inclusive beef industry.”
Isabel Garcia, Manager at Imaflora, said, “The CGF work and references are most valuable for strengthening commitments and initiatives around the beef sustainability agenda in Brazil. The market signal is clear and builds on the Beef on Track Programme, evidencing it is possible to reconcile responsible production and consumption.”
Portuguese editions of the Beef Roadmap and the Guidance are available on the CGF’s website.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest Supply Chain news. Article by Dayeeta Das. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
