The GPSNR Website Has A New Look!

Share This Post

We’ve refreshed our website and added some exciting features especially for GPSNR members.

Introducing the Members Portal

The Members Portal brings together all the resources available to GPSNR members, and provides easy and quick access to ongoing member activities. Members can access this feature by logging in with the username and password provided by the Secretariat. The account details will be sent to the primary contact of each organization in early January 2021. Members who would like to request for additional accounts may contact Nigel for assistance.

Besides the Members Portal, the website features a revamped navigation menu with new pages featuring our Working Groups, Executive Committee and the Secretariat. GPSNR Articles, tenders and other documents can be accessed under the Resources heading of the new navigation menu.

Have thoughts or feedback about the new look? We want to hear from you! Write in to the Secretariat with your comments.

More To Explore
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.

The full Executive Summary can be viewed here.

GPSNR members can read the entire report here.

GPSNR Staff January 27, 2021

GPSNR Working Groups Update: October 2023

Strategy and Objectives Working Group:

Drafts of the proposed KPIs and Due Diligence System for the platform have been finalised and are now pending further discussions following the expected approval of the Members Journey Model at the 2023 General Assembly. These discussions aim to achieve document finalisation and alignment.

As for the Risk Subgroup Traceability Pilot Field Trials, both consortiums, Agridence and Koltiva, have submitted their final reports and signed off on these projects. They will be presenting the results of the Traceability Pilot Field Trials in an upcoming webinar session open to the public.

Simultaneously, the Risk Subgroup have been gathering and analysing user feedback for the initial version of the Risk Tool.

In the event that the Assurance Model resolution (5b) receives approval, the Assurance Model Task Force is poised to collaborate with ASI in developing GPSNR’s comprehensive Assurance Model. This endeavour will encompass alignment with existing normative documents, member consultation, and pilot testing. Ongoing discussions are currently underway to establish an operational plan and timeline for this initiative.

Furthermore, the Risk Subgroup has embarked on preliminary discussions exploring a potential collaboration with the Basel Institution to investigate corruption risks within the supply chain.

Lastly, the Risk Subgroup is currently awaiting alignment on normative documents by ASI before proceeding with further development of the Risk Tool. This step ensures that the tool complies with the requirements of the Assurance Model.

Smallholders Representation and Capacity Building (SCB) Working Group:

The SCB WG has efficiently organised both national and international calls with smallholder members in preparation for GA2023. To enhance comprehension among smallholder members, the GA Booklet has undergone translation in accessible languages.

In addition, the Thailand Agroforestry subgroup has conducted the first two rounds of coaching sessions for 100 smallholders in Songkhla. Similarly, the Thailand Good Agroforestry Practices (GAP) subgroup has initiated its activities with a kick-off meeting.

On the technological front, the Digital Knowledge Sharing Platform (KSP) task force has convened multiple times to review the developed features, with plans to address bugs and enhance the platform’s functionality. The HCSA-HCVN Field Trial report has received official endorsement.

Looking ahead, the SCB WG will continue to oversee all projects within its purview. The Indonesia subgroup is scheduled to present quarterly reports for all three projects on October 27, 2023. Additionally, a webinar is slated for November 30, 2023, to present the findings of the HCSA-HCVN field trial.

Regarding the Thailand GAP project, GPSNR is in the process of finalising an official joint letter with RAOT. Members interested in joining the Thailand GAP project, specifically in Chiang Rai and Bueng Kan provinces, are encouraged to contact the secretariat for further details.

The KSP task force has plans, including pilot training for smallholders in Indonesia and Thailand, along with soliciting feedback on the Rubber Wiki app.

Lastly, the Income Diversification and Rubber Agroforestry task force is organising its first agroforestry workshop of 2023, set to take place in Cote d’Ivoire at the end of October 2023.

Policy Toolbox Working Group:

The Policy Toolbox Working Group (WG) collected input on the reporting process, utilising surveys and stakeholder-specific meetings as part of the Year 1 reporting review process. This feedback played a critical role in shaping the disclosure requirements for Year 2 reporting data and will also be a central consideration in the forthcoming discussions concerning revisions to the Reporting Requirements (RR) matrix.

The WG, under the guidance of selected consultant Petra Westerlaan, submitted a proposal aimed at making the RR matrix more quantitatively oriented. This proposal is partially based on a crosswalk with other reporting frameworks like CDP Forest, GRI, and ZSL-SPOTT. The shift toward quantification is intended to simplify data aggregation and streamline the assessment of annual progress.

Additionally, Agridence has proposed the development of a digital platform and dashboard for the RR, with a focus on enhancing the process of reporting data collection and aggregation. This proposal received approval from the Executive Committee, and Agridence is slated to commence work in late October 2023.

The disclosure requirements for Year 2 reporting have been approved by WG1 and the Executive Committee, and they will be included as a Resolution for vote at the 2023 General Assembly.

Looking ahead, WG1 is preparing to revise the RR matrix based on Petra’s proposal for a more quantitative framework and in alignment with the Assurance Model. Once approved by the WG, the revised matrix will undergo circulation to the broader membership for consultation with the aim is to secure approval for the revised reporting requirements at an extraordinary General Assembly in early 2024.

Following the approval of the revised reporting requirements, the Policy Toolbox WG will proceed with the development of disclosure requirements for Year 3 reporting.

Shared Responsibility Working Group:

The Governance Framework and In-Kind Contribution components have been integrated into the Assurance Model framework, slated for voting at the 2023 General Assembly. This integration serves as a robust foundation for further discussion, particularly due to its close alignment with the KPIs.

Furthermore, the Governance Framework and In-Kind Contribution Requirements for the Shared Investment Mechanism have reached finalisation and are set for a vote at an extraordinary General Assembly in 2024.

The WG is developing a protocol in collaboration with the SCB WG. This protocol will be used to filter and evaluate proposals based on the Equity definition and stakeholder criteria as defined by the Executive Committee (EC).

Additionally, the Secretariat is in the process of creating operational guidance for the implementation of the Shared Investment Mechanism. This guidance will subsequently be shared with the Working Group.

Lastly, there is currently an open co-chair seat, and we are inviting volunteers to step forward.

abby October 25, 2023

© 2022 All rights reserved

Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber

Scroll to Top