CIPS Foundation raises awareness of supply chain deforestation risks

Ben Farrell, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), said:

Procurement and supply chain professionals have a unique insight into the impact of spending decisions all the way through the supply chain. They – and we at CIPS and the CIPS Foundation – take that responsibility very seriously. Our community is all about making responsible commercial decisions that have a positive impact on people, profit and the planet. So, we are absolutely delighted to be making this grant to Size of Wales, which will enable more procurement professionals to understand the risks of deforestation and human rights abuses in supply chains. 


The initiative run by Welsh charity Size of Wales, contributes to a wider ambition for Wales to become the world’s first deforestation-free nation. The charity was founded in 2010 to save a two-million-hectare area – the size of Wales – from deforestation. Since it achieved its goal in 2016, it has expanded its mission both in Wales and overseas, where it supports Indigenous and local communities in Africa, South America and South East Asia to protect tropical forests, grow millions of trees, strengthen sustainable and forest-friendly livelihoods and inspire climate action. 


“Procurement has the ability to bring about change”

“There is currently a lack of awareness and knowledge among procurement professionals about how products purchased in Wales, especially in the food sector, can impact communities, and contribute to tropical deforestation and associated human rights abuses,” says the charity, which has produced a range of resources for public bodies including the Deforestation Free Procurement Toolkit.

Research commissioned by the charity found that 30% of the land used to grow Wales’ forest-risk imports is located in countries at risk of deforestation and social exploitation. That includes forced labour and abuse of Indigenous Peoples’ rights, such as the Guarani People from Brazil, who have been displaced from their land for soy plantations. The greenhouse gas emissions associated with importing soy, cocoa, palm and natural rubber to Wales totals 1.5 million tonnes of CO2e each year – nearly a quarter of the nation’s transport emissions.

“The food that our children eat in schools, the food that we get served when we're in hospital, the food that our elderly parents or relatives or family friends get if they're in a care home – it affects us on a daily basis,” says Size of Wales deputy director Barbara Davies-Quy.

“Procurement has the ability to bring about change. How procurement contracts are written and implemented can improve business practices and create a group of businesses that are leading the way on environmental and social responsibility.”

Size of Wales is asking Welsh suppliers to become Deforestation Free Business Champions, and has produced a toolkit to help organisations create an action plan for change. It is also planning outreach sessions with schools and care homes to educate and engage children and older people in the role food procurement plays in deforestation.

“If you involve the community in the process, they feel ownership about what their public funds are being spent on, and you can bring about a real catalyst for change,” Barbara continues.

“Why shouldn't children understand where public funds are being spent, and have some input into how they want to see that work being taken forward? They are our future leaders, and they do not want to be served meals that are destroying the planet, that are abusing Indigenous Peoples’ rights and causing other human rights abuses, such as child and forced labor.” 

The CIPS Foundation grant will help deliver several important activities. These include:

• Raising awareness of Wales’ global deforestation footprint and associated human rights abuses by running training sessions for Welsh suppliers and public bodies.
• Supporting businesses and suppliers to audit their supply chains for products that are high risk and suggest ethical and sustainable alternatives. This involves providing tools for audit checks and templates to review internal policies and practices.

• Working with catering managers to develop deforestation-free menus for schools with the participation of students.
• Running a pilot project engaging care home residents alongside children to promote intergenerational exchanges of knowledge. 

• Working with Indigenous and forest communities to share powerful testimonies about the impact of deforestation and human rights abuses to help to bring about a change in mindset.

Each year, the CIPS Foundation offers funding opportunities to charities that are committed to improving supply chains and ethical and sustainable standards around the world.