GPSNR Assurance System – Assessment Service Provider Application

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JANUARY 2026 

ISSUED BY 
Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber 

Introduction & Background 
The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) is an international, multi-stakeholder, voluntary membership initiative seeking to lead improvements in the socioeconomic and environmental performance of the natural rubber value chain. Members of the platform include tire manufacturers, rubber suppliers and processors, vehicle makers and NGOs. 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 strategy and objectives 

The GPSNR Assurance System, designed by Assurance Services International (ASI) and for GPSNR members, is a risk-based framework that supports credible and independent assurance processes. It enables companies to identify and mitigate human rights and environmental risks within their supply chains, undergo third-party verification, and report transparently on their progress through credible claims. The details of which can be found at this link. 

The Engagement 
The GPSNR Secretariat is seeking qualified organizations and individual professionals to become GPSNR Assessment Service Providers (ASPs). Approved ASPs will conduct impartial and independent third-party assessments in accordance with GPSNR’s procedures and requirements. 

Selected ASPs will be responsible for delivering independent assurance assessments for GPSNR member companies, following GPSNR’s approved Assurance System methodologies and procedures. The engagement includes participation in GPSNR training and oversight processes, adherence to the GPSNR Assurance Service Provider Agreement, and maintenance of competence and impartiality throughout the duration of approval. 

Training for pre-approved ASPs is expected to commence in the first quarter of 2026, with assessments scheduled to begin thereafter upon completion of training and formal approval. 

GPSNR welcomes applications from qualified organizations or individuals who:

• Are legally registered and in good standing; 
• Have demonstrable experience in sustainability assurance, auditing, or related compliance assessments; 
• Can maintain independence, integrity, and confidentiality in delivering assessment services; and 
• Are willing to undergo GPSNR’s approval and oversight process. 

Applicants may include individual contractors, small-sized ASPs (with 5 or fewer full-time equivalent personnel), or large-sized ASPs (with more than 5 full-time equivalent personnel). 

Submission Guidelines & Requirements
The following submission guidelines & requirements apply: 

  1. Applications will be considered only from individuals or organizations with experience relevant to this project.

  2. All applicants (individuals or organisations) are required to list the individual(s) applying to be approved as an Assessment Service Provider.

  3. Applicants must provide evidence of previous relevant work or experience, along with any other required supporting documents.

  4. Applicants must confirm that they have read and agree to the GPSNR ASP Agreement Terms and Conditions.

  5. Applications must be signed by an authorized representative.

  6. Applications will only be considered upon receipt of the non-refundable application fee. An invoice will be issued and must be paid within 30 days of issuance. Further details are provided in the fee schedule.

  7. More detailed guidance and supporting information about GPSNR procedures, assessment methodology, and training will be provided to applicants who successfully pass the pre-approval stage of the application process.

  8. Applications must be received prior to the 27th of February 2026 to be considered. Applications should be submitted to natalie.low@gpsnr.org for consideration.  

Project Timelines 

Submission of application and supporting documents to natalie.low@gpsnr.org 

February 27, 2026 

Selection and desk review of pre-approved applications 

Commencing upon receipt of applications and continuing through early March 2026 

Training of pre-approved ASP applicants 

March 2026 

Final approval of ASPs and publication 

March 31, 2026 

Start of GPSNR member selection and contract signing with approved ASPs 

April 2026 


Evaluation Factors 

GPSNR will evaluate applicants based on the following factors: 

  1. Responsiveness to the requirements set forth

  2. Relevant past performance/ experience

  3. Provision of relevant documents

  4. Technical expertise/experience  

Download ASP application form here: 

Download ASP agreement terms and conditions here: 

Download Assurance assessment workflow here: 

More To Explore

13 Global Tire Companies Co-Invest to Deliver Healthcare to 1,800 Rubber Farming Households in Côte d’Ivoire

Groundbreaking GPSNR initiative with social enterprise Elucid targets the overlooked link between farmer health and supply chain resilience

SINGAPORE, 23 April 2026:  The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) today announced a three-year partnership with Berlin-based social enterprise Elucid to deliver healthcare access to 1,800 rubber farmers and their households. This will benefit approximately 9,000 individuals  in Côte d’Ivoire. The initiative is funded through GPSNR’s Shared Investment Mechanism (SIM) by 13 tire and rubber companies: Aeolus Tyre Co., Ltd., Apollo Tyres Ltd., Balkrishna Industries Ltd. (BKT), The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Hankook Tire & Technology, Kumho Tire Co., Inc., Maxxis International, Nokian Tyres plc, Prometeon Tyre Group, Sumitomo Riko Company Limited, Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd., Toyo Tire Corporation, and The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.

The partnership addresses a gap the industry has long overlooked: the direct impact of farmer health on supply chain productivity. Medical emergencies cost Côte d’Ivoire an estimated 853 million USD in cocoa exports in 2017 alone. With many farmers cultivating both cocoa and rubber, the implications for the natural rubber sector are significant. Research from Ghana  shows that enrollment of farmer households in national health insurance increases their agricultural investment in several areas by approximately 40%, according to a 2024 study published in Agricultural Finance Review.

“We talk constantly about improving yields and farm management practices, but we’ve missed something fundamental,” said GPSNR CEO Stefano Savi. “A farmer who can’t afford to see a doctor when they’re sick or who cannot go to the farm because their child is unwellcan’t be productive. Healthcare isn’t separate from supply chain resilience. It’s central to it.”

A Critical Gap for the World’s Fourth-Largest Rubber Producer

Côte d’Ivoire is critical to global rubber supply chains, yet smallholder farmers who drive production across the country’s forest regions face severe healthcare barriers. The country ranks 187th out of 195 globally for quality of care, and only 32% of essential medicines are available in the public health sector, according to a 2020 health systems assessment. While two-thirds of the population are enrolled in the national health insurance scheme (CMU) on paper, fewer than 4% actually used their insurance card in 2025, due to administrative hurdles and facility-level barriers.

When farmers lack reliable healthcare, medical emergencies force them to sell assets and abandon farm improvements — a direct risk to the supply chains that depend on them.

A Comprehensive, Four-Part Approach

The initiative combines four components:

  • Enrollment in CMU national insurance for all participating farmers and households
  • Elucid’s emergency and essential care scheme covering WHO-accredited medications and life-saving services
  • Quality improvements at 15 healthcare facilities serving the target communities
  • Community awareness programs connecting health to economic wellbeing

Elucid’s digital platform will track all data in real time, enabling transparent impact reporting throughout the project. The program aims to increase healthcare visits from fewer than 200 to over 1,800, drive CMU enrollment from less than 30% to over 90%, and prevent more than 150 catastrophic health expenditure events each year. Half of beneficiaries will be women and 20% will be children under 18.

“This is about demonstrating what’s possible when the private sector invests in making national health systems work for farmers,” said Sambhavna Biswas, Partnerships Manager at Elucid. “This model can be replicated across rubber-growing regions and adapted to other agricultural sectors. Everyone in the value chain benefits when the people at its foundation are healthy and economically secure.”

Farmer enrollment begins in August 2026, with healthcare access improvements continuing until  January 2029. From December 2027, the project will transition toward long-term sustainability, building cooperative capacity to maintain health support for their members.

About GPSNR: The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber is a multi-stakeholder initiative bringing together tire manufacturers, vehicle makers, natural rubber processors and traders, and civil society organizations to develop and implement sustainability policies and practices across the natural rubber value chain. More on sustainablenaturalrubber.org

About Elucid: Elucid is a Berlin-based social enterprise providing data-driven healthcare services for farmers and workers in global supply chains across six countries and five agricultural sectors. Learn more at www.elucid.social

Media Contacts: GPSNR: Bani Bains | bani.bains@gpsnr.org;

 Elucid: Sambhavna Biswas | sambhavna.biswas@elucid.de

GPSNR Secretariat April 23, 2026
News

Strategy and Objectives Working Group Update – November 2019

Desired state V1-0 and Theory of Change documents were circulated among Strategy & Objectives Working Group in November. Comments from the members were consolidated and will be responded to in the next version.  Theory of Change will be finalized and submitted to the Executive Committee in order to be approved at the General Assembly in March 2020.

Strategy 1 ‘Policy Toolbox’ Working Group primarily agreed on the scope of work. The desired state V1-0 serves as a baseline document which will be cross referenced with Accountability Framework initiative in order to come up with policy framework that will be applicable to GPSNR members.  The drafters volunteers will present the first draft of a policy framework to the working group members in December 2019.

Strategy 2 ‘Capacity Building’ Working Group members worked on defining priority geographical areas based on current production volume and emerging trend of natural rubber production.  The existing stakeholders and capacity building activities in those countries are being identified in order to design the plan for GPSNR on capacity building.

Strategy 3 ‘Traceability and Transparency’ Working Group members were requested to list down traceability tools that are currently in use and/or traceability tools that could be potentially used for natural rubber supply chain.  In December they will analyze the attributes of each tool to see the compatibility and applicability for transparency and risk assessment.

All the 3 working groups including Strategy & Objectives and Smallholders Representation Working Group members are given access to GPSNR discussion forum which aims to increase transparency and synergy among the working groups. You will be able to see the discussions and the documents of all the working groups but will be able to contribute only to the groups you signed up for.  Please contact nigel@gpsnr.org for your log-in credentials.

GPSNR Staff November 21, 2019
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