Strategy and Objectives Working Group Update – July 2019

All GPSNR working groups have a large chunk of work ahead of them. Here are all their updates: 

Strategy and Objectives Working Group

After completing the intensive task of publishing the Theory of Change, the strategy and objectives group is working on developing its own next steps based on this Theory of Change. In the same spirit, the group has also updated its own Terms of Reference and membership. It is now focused on developing the RFP for the Economic Risk Study, which will be published soon. Currently, they are developing GPSNR’s approach to managing and evaluating risk (commonly known as the risk-based approach in meetings!). 

Smallholder Representation Working Group

Apart from initiating outreach to smallholders with a view to organise onboarding workshops in countries such as Liberia, Ghana, Malaysia and Colombia, the group is focussed on its newly formed task force to develop the GPSNR Smallholders Policy Framework. The first meeting of this task force will be in March 2022. The group is also preparing for the first Smallholders International Call of the year in March 2022.

Policy Toolbox Working Group

This group has already recruited new members for three of its subgroups: Transparent reporting roadmap, Implementation Guidance and RR Guidance & Tools. In the coming months, they will be developing guidance for the reporting requirements and a transparency reporting roadmap before the reporting cycle begins in the middle of 2022. 

At the same time, the group continues to refine a major part of the assurance model: the Implementation Guidance, which it aims to have ready before the General Assembly of 2022. Additionally, this group is busy finalising the compliance panel’s operational guidance.

Capacity Building Working Group

As we begin a year of implementation in Thailand, this group is working on reviewing and finalising strategy and approach for Capacity Building in Thailand, including the integration with Agroforestry Task Force workstream based on discussions with the Rubber Authority of Thailand on 24 February 2022.

The working group is also continuing to develop and implement capacity building plans for Indonesia and Ivory Coast, and will soon appoint service providers for GAP Coaching in Indonesia

Traceability and Transparency Working Group

Having received members’ input on the traceability guidance, representatives from the working group are now finalizing the benchmark based on the feedback.

Shared Responsibility Working Group

The Shared Responsibility working group has completed the first draft of the Shared Responsibility (SR) framework, and has presented the same to the Executive Committee. The consultant is now working on incorporating feedback from the Executive Committee into this draft.

The signing of the MoU took place at IRSG’s Office in Singapore, on the 6 August 2019 by Mr Salvatore Pinizzotto, IRSG Secretary General and Mr Stefano Savi, GPSNR Director. The MoU will have the aim of consolidating, developing and detailing the cooperation between the two organisations. It will also contribute to the effectiveness to achieve the organisations’ common objectives in the field of sustainable production and consumption of natural rubber.

The cooperation will have a focus on Sustainability in the Natural Rubber Value Chain, particularly in relation to socio-economic and environmental aspects linked to the natural rubber sustainable production and consumption. Immediate opportunities for collaboration have been identified in the following areas: 

1. Definition of Natural Rubber Sustainability and identification of appropriate standards, building on the activity carried out from IRSG in the SNR-i project.
2. Natural Rubber Sustainability and socio-economic impacts on smallholders in producing countries.
3. Land tenure right and sustainable income of smallholders in producing countries.
4. Impact of climate change in rubber plantations and mitigation of risks.

The International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) was established in 1944 and is the only intergovernmental organization that brings the world’s rubber producing and consuming stakeholders together. The IRSG is the forum for the discussion of matters affecting the supply and demand for natural as well as synthetic rubber. IRSG is at the forefront in conducting activities and research on the sustainability of the natural rubber economy. IRSG has 36 member Governments and more than 700 industry members covering the whole natural rubber value chain.

The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) is an international, multistakeholder, voluntary membership organization, with a mission to lead improvements in the socioeconomic and environmental performance of the natural rubber value chain. Development of the GPSNR was initiated by the CEOs of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Tire Industry Project (TIP) in November 2017. Currently the Platform has 51 Members including Producers, Processors & Traders, Tire makers and other rubber makers/buyers, Carmakers, other downstream users and Financial Institutions, and Civil society.

Representatives from each of these stakeholder groups have contributed to the development of the Singapore-based platform and the wide-reaching set of priorities that will define GPSNR strategy and objectives.