GPSNR Working Groups Update: July 2022

Strategy and Objectives Working Group

The assurance model taskforce, which sits under the umbrella of this working group, worked on establishing KPIs, GPSNR and Company targets, and tasking the KPIs to other working groups, categories and members. Its other subgroup on risk is currently working on a proposal for the definition of polygons in the EU Deforestation Regulation based on a request from GPSNR member ETRMA. Th subgroup also has two new co-chairs – Maggie Fitzherbert from ZSL and Ayako Itoh from Bridgestone.

Smallholder Representation Working Group

After completing its first round of pilot agroforestry workshops in Indonesia, the working group has its next round planned in Cambodia starting this month. Subsequently, they are preparing for country-based focus group discussions on the Smallholders Policy Equivalent and for the GPSNR-HCSA Smallholder Toolkit Field Trials. They are also working on processing smallholder applications from Liberia and Cambodia.

Policy Toolbox Working Group

The group is working on finalizing the TORs for the Year 1 Reporting Review to be conducted in the first quarter of next year. They are also assessing if any changes to reporting framework and its details (i.e. process, extensions, questions) are needed based on the Year 1 Reporting Review results.

Capacity Building Working Group

The group is currently evaluating proposals to appoint a software developer for the second phase of the GPSNR Knowledge Sharing Platform. They have kicked off the Disease Fighting Project with SNV-IRRI in Indonesia, after having recently completed the first milestone of the SNV-Proforest GAP coaching in the country. They continue to seek members’ funding for capacity building projects in Indonesia (second stream of disease fighting) and Cote d’Ivoire (training centres). To know more, you can find the project details here.

Shared Responsibility Working Group

The group is working on the deliverables discussed for each of its sub working groups during the in-person meetings, and will present findings to the membership on 15th November 2022.

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.