Rio+20: Supply Chain Management for Sustainable Development

(3BL Media) June 12, 2012 - On June 16, SAI Senior Advisor Alan Spaulding will speak on the panel: “The Sustainable Supply Chain – Scaling Up Impacts of Sustainability Practice,” to discuss this role, and impact of supply chain management decisions on sustainability, and how this relates to the Rio+20 agenda. Mr. Spaulding will share SAI’s experience in guiding companies to improve their labor standards compliance throughout their global supply chains to improve working conditions. 

This panel discussion is part of the larger United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum: Innovation and Collaboration for the Future We Want that will take place on June 15-18, 2012 in Rio de Janeiro. The forum offers an opportunity for over 2,000 participants – representing business, civil society, investors, governments, local authorities and UN entities— to strategize how to scale up business’ role in sustainable development. Social Development is one of the Forum’s six core themes, the other five are: 1) Energy & Climate; 2) Water & Ecosystems; 3) Agriculture & Food; 4) Urbanization & Cities; 5) Economics & Finance of Sustainable Development. 

High-level principles and standards— such as the UNGC’s Ten Principles, and the SA8000^® Standard for Decent Work – offer businesses a path towards becoming a leader in social responsibility and social compliance. However, putting principles to practice is a common challenge that companies face. This was the focus of a 2010 set of six case studies that SAI co-authored with the UNGC and the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE): From Principles to Practice: The Role of SA8000 in implementing the Global Compact. Beraca, who will also be participating in the forum, is one of the six companies profiled in it.  

SAI’s work to help companies ‘measure and improve’ their capacity for sustainable supply chain practices and decent working conditions extends beyond SA8000 itself. Collaboration with other NGOs and UN agencies also help to strengthen business’ contribution for sustainable development around the world.

Below are four examples:

• UN Women Gender Equality Seal - developed by SAI and UN Women, this auditable standard and certification system will focus on gender equality in a company and its supply chain
• Task Force on Human Rights - members of the UNGC Supply Chain Sustainability Advisory Group have joined forces to look at just two topics this year: Implementation of the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and Contract Labor in the Supply Chain
• UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights– in collaboration with the Interchurch Organisation for Development Cooperation (ICCO), SAI will publish a handbook and toolkit to help companies to operationalize the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, written by UN Special Representative John Ruggie and his team, in their supply chain by developing and implementing a management systems approach
• Social Fingerprint^® - in 2010, SAI developed this program based on ratings, classroom training, online training and toolkits designed to help companies understand, measure, and improve their social impact. Over 400 brands and companies have started using it, including Disney, Gap Inc., Carrefour, and Timberland 

About Social Accountability International (SAI)

SAI is a non-profit, multi-stakeholder organization established to advance the human rights of workers and the social responsibility of companies by promoting decent work conditions and labor rights through voluntary standards. SAI is among the world's leading supply chain management and CSR training organizations, and has provided training to over 30,000 people since its establishment in 1997. SAI developed one of the world's preeminent social standards— SA8000— a recognized benchmark among the voluntary codes and standards initiatives. Over 1.6 million workers are employed in over 2,900 SA8000 facilities in 62 countries, across 65 industrial sectors. Website: www.sa-intl.org

SAI is headquartered in the United States with field representation in Brazil, China, Costa Rica, India, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Philippines, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates and the United States. Subscribe to SAI’s e-Newsletter at www.sa-intl.org/news and follow SAI on Twitter @sa_intl. 
 

About the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum: Innovation and Collaboration for the Future We Want

Hosted by the UN Global Compact, in cooperation with the Rio+20 Secretariat, the UN System and the Global Compact Local Network Brazil, the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum (15-18 June 2012) seeks to bring greater scale and quality to corporate sustainability practices, as a critical contribution to sustainable development. As a showcase for innovation and collaboration, the Forum is designed to be a launching ground for widespread action. With more than 2,000 participants in attendance, the Forum features over 100 sessions focused on six themes central to the Rio+20 agenda: Energy & Climate, Water & Ecosystems, Agriculture & Food, Social Development, Urbanization & Cities, and Economics & Finance. www.compact4rio.org