The Forests Supply Chain Challenge (FSCC) makes it easy for Supply Chain program Forests members to partner with their suppliers. CDP facilitates the solicitation and selection of projects that generate the greatest shared value.
Suppliers propose projects in response to question SF2.1 in the forests questionnaire.
CDP reviews and ranks these proposals.
CDP discusses promising projects with the corresponding member.
Based on feedback, CDP convenes a meeting with the member and the appropriate suppliers to determine whether to move forward. The company and its supplier will then plan and implement the project.
This can include recognition on the FSCC webpage, highlighting in blog and social media posts, featuring as a case in a webinar or report, or playing a role in an event like a regional workshop.
The program leverages the power that large purchasers have through their procurement. They can request suppliers to provide products that avoid deforestation and minimize carbon, water, and biodiversity footprints, and to disclose this information. The program’s 280 members successfully encouraged over 16,000 companies to disclose through CDP in 2022. So each member is responsible for, on average, 59 other companies disclosing. This is the same multiplier that the FSCC draws upon when soliciting potential projects – one member can easily obtain dozens of promising proposals. .
Projects that involve landscape and jurisdictional approaches, or protection and restoration activities, are eligible so long as the project includes at least some portion of the supplier’s sourcing or production region.
Beyond that, projects can involve any combination of place-based activities (things like supplier operations, traceability protocols, or monitoring technologies) or non-place-based activities (such as policy development, target setting, or financial assistance). Projects can involve any of the seven forest risk commodities that CDP tracks, and any of CDP’s 15 key performance indicators for forests.
CDP uses several criteria to differentiate and rank proposed projects based on deforestation impacts and strategic improvement opportunities. Projects that cover other topics are still welcome and encouraged. The criteria include:
Whether the project involves traceability, certification, landscape & jurisdictional approaches, and/or smallholder engagement
Whether the project involves cattle, soy, or palm oil
Whether the supplier’s headquarters or the project itself is located in Latin America or Southeast Asia
Whether the project involves activities that protect or restore forests or other ecosystems
Whether the project involves one of CDP’s other focal areas – climate, water, biodiversity, or plastics
Whether the description provided by the supplier indicates that the project has been well thought-out, or is even already being implemented
The following timeline shows you, in the top half, the major phases and milestones of the annual disclosure process, while the bottom shows the same information for the FSCC.
Your Supply Chain account manager is the best starting point. You can also contact the appropriate regional liaison: