The Sustainable Produce Index will bring about a more transparent supply chain, drive product innovation and, ultimately, provide consumers the information they need to assess the sustainability of products. The goal of this project is to create a new retail standard for the 21st century.
A worldwide sustainable product index, will lead to higher quality, lower costs and measure the sustainability of products and help customers, live better. One of the biggest challenges we all face is measuring the sustainability of a product. The leading MEs believe a research-driven approach involving universities, retailers, suppliers and non-government organizations (NGOs) can accelerate and broaden this effort.
The Need for an Index
The world’s population is increasing.
- It is estimated that the global population will reach 9 billion by 2050.
The world’s natural resources are decreasing.
- Natural resources for everything we grow, eat, drink, make, package, buy, transport and throw away is outpacing the earth’s capacity to sustain it.
Customers want more efficient, longer lasting, better performing products. They want to know:
- the materials in the product are safe
- that it is made well
- the product was produced in a responsible way
Index Step 1: Supplier Assessment
Companies will provide each of its suppliers with a survey of simple, but powerful, questions to evaluate their own company’s sustainability.
The questions are divided into four areas:
- Energy and Climate
- Natural resources
- Material efficiency
- People and Community
Under these categories are some familiar questions on greenhouse gas emissions and location of factories, but the list also includes some new areas, such as water use and solid waste produced.
Companies will ask their top tier suppliers to complete the survey. Companies will develop timelines on a country-by-country basis for suppliers to complete these surveys.
This is an important first step in assessing the sustainability of suppliers, but for true transparency, we also need a tool for the sustainability of products.
Index Step 2: Lifecycle Analysis Database
As a second step, we help create a network of organizations that will collaborate with suppliers, retailers, NGOs and government to develop a global database of information on the lifecycle of products – from raw materials to disposal. We will provide support for the network, but it is not our intention to create or own this index.
The companies will also partner with one or more leading Eco Innovation/ Technology companies to create an open platform that will power the index.
We will administer the network.
Index Step 3: A Simple Tool for Consumers
The final step of the index is to provide customers with product information in a simple, convenient, easy to understand rating, so they can make choices and consume in a more sustainable way. Information is delivered to consumers in a numeric score, color code or some other type of label. The Sustainability Product Index project partners will help determine the scoring process.
