GPSNR Working Groups Update: June 2023

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Strategy and Objectives Working Group:

The Traceability pilot field trials for the Risk Subgroup, led by consortiums Agridence and Koltiva, are now in full swing. Agridence provided a midpoint update during the June Hybrid meetings, highlighting their progress thus far.

Looking ahead, the Risk Subgroup is actively strategizing the next steps for ASI’s deliverable on the Risk Assessment Framework. This includes conducting internal piloting and aligning the tool with GPSNR commissioned studies to identify any potential gaps.

In an effort to standardize country levels within the tool, the Risk Subgroup will be issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to engage consultants who can contribute their expertise. Furthermore, the Risk Subgroup is in the preliminary stages of discussions with the Basel Institution, exploring a potential collaboration to address corruption risks in the supply chain.

The Assurance Model Task force will convene to receive updates on the alignment of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and the due diligence system, ensuring that progress is being made and objectives are being met. In order to create an Assurance Manual under the Members Progress Model, an RFP will be crafted and sent to consultants. This step aims to gather the necessary input and expertise to develop a comprehensive manual.

Smallholders Representation and Capacity Building (SCB) Working Group:

The Smallholders Policy-Equivalent (SPE) Taskforce has successfully presented the final recommendations to the SCB WG, marking a significant milestone in their work. They are actively working towards obtaining endorsement from the SCB WG for their final recommendations as outlined in the report.

The HCSA-HCVN Field Trials have reached an important stage, with the preliminary final report being submitted for review and assessment. The HCSA-HCVN will soon submit the final report, marking the completion of this endeavor.

In an effort to promote knowledge sharing, the digital Knowledge Sharing Platform (KSP) Taskforce organised a meeting on 24th May 2023 for SCB WG members. The objective was to facilitate a better understanding of the KSP, and the service provider has already begun developing new features for the platform.

The Indonesia National Subgroup has taken the initiative to prepare quarterly progress reports for the GAP Coaching and Disease Fighting projects, providing updates to the SCB WG.

Meanwhile, the Thailand National Subgroup is currently in the process of evaluating proposals received for the Thailand GAP Coaching project. The deadline for proposal submissions is 30th June 2023.

The Agroforestry-Income Diversification Taskforce is working to finalize the schedule of workshops planned for 2023-2024.

Lastly, the SCB WG will continue to oversee all ongoing projects.

Policy Toolbox Working Group:

In order to enhance the reporting process, input has been collected from members through a survey and stakeholder-specific meetings as part of the Year 1 Reporting Review process. The feedback received will play a crucial role in informing revisions to the Reporting Matrix and disclosure requirements for Years 2 and 3, as outlined in the Transparent Reporting Roadmap (TRR). Furthermore, discussions are underway to reach an agreement on the TRR for Year 2 reporting, with the Working Group currently finalizing updates received from the OEMs. To reflect the proposed changes to the reporting matrix, the Reporting Guidance will be updated accordingly, providing clear and comprehensive guidelines for reporting.

The Working Group has carefully selected consultant Petra Westerlaan to propose a quantitative orientation for the reporting matrix. This includes conducting a crosswalk analysis with other established reporting frameworks such as CDP Forest, GRI, and ZSL-SPOTT. The integration of quantification will not only facilitate data aggregation but also simplify the evaluation of annual progress. The consultant’s proposed revisions to the reporting framework will be evaluated and decided upon, and recommendations will be made to improve the reporting process and timelines.

In parallel, the Compliance Panel Terms of Reference (TOR) and operational guidance are being finalized based on the Assurance Model, ensuring a robust framework for ensuring compliance and accountability.

Shared Responsibility Working Group:

During the face-to-face meeting, the Governance and Guiding principles were presented, highlighting their importance in shaping the future direction of GPSNR. Manufacturers are now required to seek internal approval regarding the Governance Framework and subsequently provide a final version for approval to the GPSNR Executive Committee (EC) and General Assembly.

The SR WG is actively engaged in defining an inclusive shared investment framework, encompassing various forms of contribution such as in-kind support, financial contributions, and external funding. The outcomes of discussions at the Manufacturers category level will play a crucial role in shaping this framework.

Collaborating with the Secretariat and other WGs, the SR WG is committed to revamping discussions on data sharing and value transfer, recognizing their significance in achieving our objectives. These discussions will seek to optimize the sharing of data and the value derived from it.

To provide clarity and transparency, the WG aims to define the value and benefits associated with each category within GPSNR, ensuring that all stakeholders are aware of the advantages and opportunities available.

Furthermore, the WG, in collaboration with the Capacity Building WG, is working on developing a protocol to filter and evaluate proposals based on the Equity definition and the stakeholders identified by the EC. This process will ensure fair and comprehensive evaluation of proposals.

Lastly, an open co-chair position is available, and volunteers are welcomed to contribute their expertise and leadership to drive the WG forward. If you are interested in taking on this role, please step forward and join us in this important endeavor.

By establishing effective governance, inclusive investment frameworks, and clear protocols, we are working towards a sustainable and equitable future for the natural rubber industry. Your participation and engagement are vital to our collective success.

June 27, 2023

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News

GPSNR Grievance Mechanism: Call for Comments

During the September 2020 General Assembly, GPSNR members voted to allow the Executive Committee to move forward with designing and implementing a Grievance Mechanism, as outlined in a revision to the statutes. The GPSNR Grievance Mechanism is a non-legal system established for stakeholders to express concerns they have about a GPSNR member or the GPSNR Secretariat and find optimal ways to resolve disputes. This Mechanism is distinct from the Grievance Mechanisms that ordinary company members are required to establish and maintain, and should be used in the event that the company’s mechanism has not successfully resolved the complaints raised.

Membership Survey

GPSNR members are invited to comment on the proposed Grievance Mechanism by providing their responses via a survey. The survey will be open until 29 January 2021, after which the results will be compiled and reviewed.

Members Webinar

There will be an informational webinar on 14 January 2021 at 8pm (Singapore time) during which the members developing the Grievance Mechanism will share more details about the mechanism and conduct a Q&A session.

GPSNR members may download materials related to the GPSNR Grievance Mechanism, take the survey and register for the webinar using the links provided in the Members Portal.

GPSNR Staff December 30, 2020

Members

Seeing Through to a Solution: Traceability and Transparency Tools and Technology Studies (Members Version)

Deforestation, land grabbing, and human and labour rights violations have been associated with the production of natural rubber. In order to transform the global natural rubber supply chain into a fair, equitable and environmentally sound one, it is crucial that we work to reduce such social and environmental risks. This is by no means an easy feat with about 6 million smallholder farmers producing around 85% of the world’s natural rubber; the complexities of the supply chain make it difficult for buyers to ensure that sustainable practices are employed for rubber cultivation and processing. Recognizing the importance of enhancing traceability and transparency in the natural rubber supply chain to support the identification and mitigation of social and environmental risks, GPSNR established the Traceability and Transparency Working Group.

Over the past few months, the Working Group has commissioned two studies around traceability and transparency tools and technology. The reports were submitted by the consultants at the end of October 2020. The findings from each report are summarized below.

Spatial Data & Mapping Tools for Detecting Deforestation and Threats to HCVS Areas in Rubber Production Landscapes

Report developed by Zoological Society of London (ZSL)

This report reviews a variety of spatial mapping tools and approaches which may be employed by GPSNR and its members to address deforestation and degradation risk in rubber supply chains.

The key recommendations from this study are that GPSNR members should pool resources to collectively commission landscape-level HCV and HCS screening for key rubber-producing countries and these should be updated periodically. Spatial data maps from this process should be made publicly available to encourage cross-sectoral collaboration on tackling deforestation.

HCV/S datasets may then be integrated into satellite monitoring platforms and combined with near-real time monitoring of deforestation and forest degradation. This will allow accurate spatial analysis of the impacts of rubber production in key forested landscapes. GPSNR members may select different satellite monitoring tools or service providers, based on their own needs and budget. For upstream actors closer to the source, satellite monitoring may allow for preventative measures to be taken at the early stages of deforestation.

The full Executive Summary can be viewed here.

GPSNR members can read the entire report here.

Review of Transparency & Traceability Tools and Solutions

Report prepared by e-Audit Hong-Kong Ltd

This report presents options on supply chain transparency and/ or product traceability solutions that GPSNR may consider as well as recommendations to select the most suitable transparency/traceability solutions for the GPSNR initiative.

A range of solutions currently implemented in commodity industries similar to the natural rubber industry were reviewed and evaluated, resulting in the identification of several key elements that will need to be considered to select the most suitable and cost-efficient solution.

The report also considers three potential infrastructure options (centralized, hybrid and decentralized) that should be considered as they have profound implications on the range of supply chain transparency and product/batch traceability solution(s) that GPSNR may consider to adopt.

This report concludes that the technology currently available makes it possible for all GPSNR key requirements to be integrated into one single solution. However, such a centralized solution may be costly and cumbersome to implement. At this stage of development of the GPSNR initiative it is recommended that GPSNR starts implementing a more flexible hybrid solution, with a centralized infrastructure/ data hub focused on reporting and monitoring of clearly defined performance KPIs, that can be connected through APIs to existing field level risk assessment, risk mapping and traceability solutions currently implemented by GPSNR members.