Cargill has formed a new Land Use and Forest Protection advisory panel to accelerate progress across priority supply chains and provide a more systematized basis for the input of key global partners and NGOs.
The panel is designed to ensure the strategies and resources underpinning Cargill’s forest commitments are adequate to deliver positive socio-economic and environmental impact. Members will bring cross-sector insights to Cargill, accelerating the company’s ambitions and supporting continuous improvement. The panel will build on the company’s existing work with trusted advisors and thought leaders which resulted in a revised Global Forest Policy and accompanying Land Use Operating Guidelines in the past two years, both of which are now being actively implemented across the company’s businesses.
The founding members of the panel include:
- Justin Adams, Tropical Forest Alliance
- John Buchanan, Conservation International
- Laura de Santis Prada, Imaflora
- Maria Giraudo, Global Farmer Network
- Marcos Sawaya Jank, INSPER
- Roz Naylor, Stanford University
- Carlos Ortiz, Independent Agribusiness Advisor
- Anne Rosenbarger, World Resources Institute
- Nigel Sizer, Rainforest Alliance
Brendan May, chairman of Robertsbridge, a global sustainability advisory firm, will chair the panel. Brendan is the former chief executive of the Marine Stewardship Council and was European chairman of the Rainforest Alliance from 2009 to 2013. “As Cargill moves to further scale action on deforestation, this is a significant opportunity to deepen the dialogue between the company and its range of stakeholders across the civil society and agricultural landscape,” said May. “The panel is there to challenge and encourage Cargill to be bolder, and I look forward to working with the panel members to provide constructive inputs to help Cargill further stretch its ambitions.”
The inaugural meeting of the panel will take place in October 2019, with a follow-up convening scheduled for the first quarter of 2020. Kimmelshue will lead Cargill’s engagement with the panel, and will report its findings to David MacLennan, Cargill’s chairman and CEO. Public summaries of meeting agendas and minutes will be available to ensure full transparency of the panel’s work and guidance to Cargill.
In addition to forming the independent advisory panel, Cargill has made progress on its commitments outlined in the company’s South American Soy Action Plan, enacted in June 2019. This includes the initiation of a comprehensive risk assessment of its soy supply chain direct and indirect suppliers and publication of a Risk Assessment Methodology.
The company is also advancing its $30-million pledge which focuses on sourcing and supporting innovative ideas to protect forests and native vegetation in South America. Cargill will soon announce a startup accelerator program to find solutions to the deforestation challenges in Brazil. Startups with relevant business models, technology and expertise are invited to apply. The program will provide an opportunity to connect innovative ideas with funding and subject matterso experts can quickly implement solutions on the ground. The company is also seeking an administrator to manage a portion of Cargill’s contributions, along with other industry partners\' contributions to the fund.
