The Soft Commodities Forum (SCF), under the leadership of the World Business Council For Sustainable Development (WBCSD), fosters collaboration among six leading agribusinesses. Its objective is to identify solutions that eliminate deforestation and the conversion of native vegetation driven by soy cultivation in the Brazilian Cerrado.
Our progress highlights from December 2022 to November 2023 include:
Disclosure of deforestation- and conversion-free soy sourcing
This year’s report presents the second round of DCF disclosures for soy volumes sourced in the SCF’s 61 focus municipalities. Third-party auditing for both direct and indirect sourcing has been adopted, strengthening data accuracy and reliability. SCF member progress on DCF performance related to all 61 focus municipalities is presented in the Monitoring Land Use section of this report.
Indirect supplier engagement
Recognizing the pivotal role of engaging with indirect suppliers in our journey toward traceability and guaranteeing DCF soy sourcing, we have placed a strong emphasis on accelerating engagement with indirect suppliers.
Our structured three-step approach involves awareness-raising, capacity assessment and building, and co-development of action plans. Multiple training materials and a webinar series have been deployed to promote DCF practices to 35 indirect suppliers. In 2023, we have successfully engaged 21 indirect suppliers, classified by maturity levels (Class A, B, or C).
A reinforced partnership with the Consumer Goods Forum and a renewed Advisory Group
The SCF strives for meaningful engagement with several key stakeholders, including the Consumer Goods Forum Forest Positive Coalition (CGF FCP). Together, the SCF and CGF FPC are investing in mutual solutions that contribute to the emergence of forest-positive landscapes. The SCF has also expanded its Advisory Group to encompass a diverse set of expertise, including carbon accounting, farmer engagement, and fundraising approaches.
The Farmer First Clusters initiative discloses initial results on farmer engagement
Following an extensive design phase throughout 2023, the SCF has initiated the implementation of its landscape financing work and is proud to announce that November 2023, 22 producers representing 144,365 hectares have enrolled in the Farmer First Clusters.”