GPSNR Working Groups Update: May 2023

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Strategy and Objectives Working Group: The consortium of Agridence and Koltiva have initiated field trials for the Risk Subgroup Traceability Pilot. The Risk Subgroup is also planning the next steps for the deliverable from ASI regarding the Risk Assessment Framework, including internal piloting and cross-walking with GPSNR commissioned studies to identify any gaps. 

Additionally, the Risk Subgroup and Basel Institution are in preliminary discussions for a potential collaboration to investigate corruption risk in the supply chain. The Assurance Model Task force will convene to receive updates on KPI alignments, the due diligence system, and the progress model of its members.

Smallholders Representation and Capacity Building (SCB) Working Group: The SCB WG has formally endorsed the Terms of Reference (TORs) on April 27, and the Smallholders Policy-Equivalent (SPE) Taskforce is currently working towards securing the SCB WG’s endorsement for the final recommendations presented in their report.

The Thailand National Subgroup recently announced a tender for GAP Coaching on May 4, with a proposal submission deadline of June 30, 2023. Meanwhile, the Agroforestry-Income Diversification Taskforce is working on finalising the workshop schedule for the years 2023-2024. Lastly, the SCB WG will continue to oversee all projects taking place in Indonesia and Thailand.

 Policy Toolbox Working Group: The working group has chosen consultant Petra Westerlaan to propose a quantitative approach for the reporting matrix, including a crosswalk with other reporting frameworks (CDP Forest, GRI, and ZSL-SPOTT), aiming to facilitate data aggregation and simplify the evaluation of annual progress. They will evaluate and decide on the consultant’s proposed revisions to the reporting framework, and make recommendations to improve the reporting process and timelines.

The Policy Toolbox WG has to agree on the TRR, update Reporting Guidance to reflect the proposed changes, and finalize the Compliance Panel TOR and operational guidance based on the Assurance Model. The WG is currently conducting meetings that will continue during the in-person meetings. 

Shared Responsibility Working Group: The face-to-face meeting included a presentation on governance and guiding principles, and manufacturers to submit a revised document. The WG is currently awaiting the outcomes of discussions on shared investment principles at the manufacturers’ category level before proceeding with their work. Once the proposal from the manufacturers is available, the WG will revamp the discussions on data sharing and value transfer.

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Smallholders Representation Working Group Update – September 2019

In the August newsletter we have informed you that we will organize smallholders workshop in 5 different countries with the primary objectives of:

  1. Understanding the local needs and motivations of the smallholder farmers;
  2. Understanding and recommending solutions to the barriers for smallholders and their representative organizations to join and actively participate in the GPSNR;
  3. Observing and explaining the interaction and chemistry between farmers and representative organizations.

Now we are proud to tell you that we are ready to launch the first smallholders workshop in Jambi, Indonesia on October 7th – 9th. 20 smallholders and smallholder representative organizations that have been nominated by several local partners on the ground such as SNV, WWF Indonesia, Kirana Megatara, etc. will meet up in Jambi with various categories of GPSNR working group members to further explore the future of sustainable natural rubber production.  The participants from GPSNR side is limited to 6 persons to ensure the discussions are organically contributed by smallholders.

The 3 days workshop will start with self introduction, understanding each other, understanding the current and future trends of rubber market.  It will spread out to what the platform is and how the platform can work for and with smallholders to create a win-win solution.

Four more workshops to be organized this year after Indonesia will be held in Thailand, Vietnam, Cote d’Ivoire and Brazil.  After the 5 workshops are finished, we will recommend the smallholder representations to the Executive Committee during the General Assembly in March 2020.

Stay tuned for the dates and venues of the upcoming workshops. For more information please contact kobrat@gpsnr.org.

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Smallholders Representation Working Group Update – November 2019

With the input from the workshop in Indonesia, Thailand, Brazil (and soon Cote d’Ivoire and Vietnam), the smallholders representation working group is finalizing the definition of ‘smallholders’ which will be needed to open up a new category of membership. Recognizing the experience and effort that IRSG/SNRi had already invested in this work, Smallholders Representation Working Group invited IRSG to discuss the definition of ‘smallholders’.  

While many countries have their own definition of ‘smallholders’ based on the size of their land, the Smallholders representation Working Group agreed other characteristics of smallholders (such as income provenance, level of dependency on family labour, economic constraints, etc) should also be considered. 

As the definition of ‘smallholders’ are affiliated to the work scope Strategy 2 – Capacity Building Working Group, the Smallholders Representation Working Group members are working closely with Strategy 2 – Capacity Building Working Group members to ensure that there is alignment in definition between smallholders in the natural rubber supply chain and smallholders that will become GPSNR member.

In the meantime, a successful third workshop in Brazil concluded this week, with a series of learnings for GPSNR on the organisation of farmers in the region, and their expectations from the future collaboration with the Platform. The workshop also achieved good progress on the identification of potential candidates for membership in GPSNR, both by single farmers and producers associations.

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