Embracing our Shared Responsibility: GPSNR’s newest Working Group

The appointed Country Champions have been in contact with the smallholders to ensure a good understanding of GPSNR through familiarization with the Statutes and Code of Conduct. These socialization efforts were carried out by means of teleconferencing, some taking place with the aid of interpreters. To complement these preliminary engagement sessions, the Working Group is creating a customised programme for the smallholders prior to this year’s General Assembly. It is important for the smallholders to meet face-to-face and have the chance to get to know each other, considering that some of them have never stepped foot outside their own country. As they will have to decide who will represent them in the Executive Committee if the new ‘Smallholder Producers’ membership category is approved, interaction with each other is imperative for them to make informed decisions.  

The sub-Group specially formed to focus on this issue has proposed a first draft of the programme, which was discussed at the recent Working Group meeting. At the moment, the programme includes sessions for the smallholders to learn more about each other, about GPSNR and the impact of their votes. They will also guide the smallholders in identifying their priorities and needs, and include sharing from GPSNR members in the other categories, so that smallholders can better understand how they can be effective members and work with others at both Working Group and Executive Committee levels. Aside from these proposed sessions, a half-day field trip is also being considered as a socio-cultural component. 

Looking towards the future, the Working Group is having ongoing discussions on how best to integrate smallholders into the various Working Groups. The language barrier has been identified as a key issue to address in order to achieve full inclusivity of smallholders. .

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.