TDi Sustainability

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📰 Read our final newsletter of 2024 here 📰 In this edition find out about our upcoming webinar on responsible recruitment, read reflections on TDi's first decade and plans for 2025, and gain updates from some of our most recent projects. We've also summarised key updates on upcoming responsible sourcing regulations. #SustainableBusiness #SuitsAndBoots #ForcedLabour #ResponsibleSourcing #EURegulations #Deforestation #SustainabilityCompliance #HumanRights #DueDiligence #SupplyChain

With TDi's tenth year coming to a close, we sat down with TDi's founder, Assheton Stewart Carter, to get the low-down on what’s in store for TDi in the future - including his new role as Executive Chair at TDi. This change will allow Assheton to focus on what he loves doing the most - championing innovation and spreading the word about TDi's position as a leader in responsible sourcing and corporate sustainability. Read the full interview with Assheton here> https://lnkd.in/e9p5MpVu   We're pleased and excited to welcome Dave Crew into the role of CEO. Dave has more than 20 years of experience in business growth and brings expertise in developing and executing business strategy with a strong focus on fostering sustainable business practices. His leadership will ensure that TDi remains at the forefront of responsible sourcing - continuing to support clients in navigating complex sustainability challenges while creating meaningful impact. Find out more about Dave > https://lnkd.in/efGak9Gx

Join us on 23 January 2025, 3PM GMT, for a TDi webinar on Responsible Recruitment Practices and Supply Chain Due Diligence: Best Practice Approaches from the Apparel Industry. Register now: https://lnkd.in/e3anUT2D We're excited to be welcoming Wendy Barahona Savage from Patagonia, David Schilling from the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR), and Wiebke Flach from The Mekong Club, to join our expert panel and explore: • What is responsible recruitment? • Key recruitment-related risks and how to identify them • The impact of new regulations like EUFLR and CSDDD • Practical solutions for implementing ethical recruitment practices • Best practice examples from the apparel industry The webinar will be moderated by TDi's Soledad Mills and James Alexander Hollins. Register now for insights into how responsible recruitment practices form an integral part of a comprehensive due diligence strategy. Join if you are: - A brand or retailer seeking to understand forced labour risks and best practices - A policymaker or regulator interested in due diligence and labour standards - From an NGO or advocacy group focused on labour rights and ethical sourcing - An investor looking for insights on ESG compliance and responsible business practices #ResponsibleRecruitment #SupplyChainDueDiligence #ApparelIndustry #ForcedLabour Register now: https://lnkd.in/e3anUT2D

A knee-jerk response to news of another high-profile company being accused of sourcing conflict minerals, might be for companies to take a risk avoidance approach. The safest way forward could appear to be to withdraw from ‘tricky’ countries where the geopolitical landscape is unstable or there is the risk of conflict, and resultant potential reputational damage.   However, this could have devastating consequences for local communities who rely on these materials for their livelihoods. And, with long, interconnected and often opaque supply chains, it is incredibly difficult for downstream companies to fully identify the provenance of the materials they use.   Instead, we encourage companies to stay engaged with local communities and take an approach that focuses on risk management. Enhanced due diligence, collective action through engagement with initiatives such as the Fair Cobalt Alliance (FCA), and investment in upstream communities, can all ensure that companies manage their risk to make a real difference on the ground – not marginalise vulnerable groups further.   Speak to us to find out how our digital tools can help identify high-risk areas within your supply chains, and to discuss the actions you can take to help manage and mitigate those risks. Together, we can help you to go beyond compliance to make a difference on the ground. https://lnkd.in/gUgu-iNP

TDi is pleased to have been working with non-profit group Development Gold (DG) International, on the development of a new performance standard within Ghana, to support artisanal and small-scale gold miners to improve their mining practices, reduce environmental degradation and access responsible gold markets globally. TDi’s CEO Assheton Stewart Carter helped found Development Gold, which aims to create a viable and inclusive mining economy in Africa by linking responsible, small-scale gold producers with international markets.   Ghana is currently the largest gold producer in Africa, driven by around 1 million artisanal miners, who account for about 35% of the nation’s gold production. Since 2021, the Bank of Ghana has been working to strengthen its gold reserves through a Domestic Gold Purchase Programme (DGPP) to help stabilize the national currency and enhance the country’s foreign exchange reserves. However, the success of this programme depends partly on the implementation of policies that promote supply chain transparency and accountability, and align with global best practices. The new Development Gold Ghana Performance Standard seeks to assure gold buyers, regulators, communities, and international actors that gold from its members’ small-scale mines is produced responsibly. A pilot project carried out as part of the Standard’s development at a mine in the Ashanti region of Ghana has supported the mine to conform with responsible sourcing requirements, which has resulted in the mine being able to participate in the DGPP.   DG International Founder and President Max A. spoke about the Standard’s development and the success of the pilot, at last month’s Gold Statement Conference and Exhibition. Find out more in this article: https://lnkd.in/ePz747zP   Watch this space for more information on the Standard coming soon from DG International.

Last week TDi’s CEO Assheton Stewart Carter took part in a panel session with Duncan Flack, Sara Algeelani, and Silvia Forroova at CPHI Middle East examining how sustainability can be embedded within the pharma framework. The conversation focused on the specific steps pharma companies can take, and where to start. Some of Assheton's key takeaway messages from the panel session, were: 🔎 When it comes to carbon emissions, data is crucial to find out where the greenhouse gas hotspots are in your business. Conduct material audits and lifecycle analyses to help you set clear sustainability targets. 🔎 Key emissions hotspots can include upstream raw material extraction, energy consumption in manufacturing, the use of carbon intense materials in packaging, and transportation. 🔎 A clear strategy is required to define specific sustainability goals and develop a phased roadmap with measurable milestones. 🔎 Some key solutions could include identifying suppliers with verified low carbon or net zero commitments, investigating energy efficient processes that can be used to decarbonise manufacture, and optimising distribution networks to reduce emissions. 🔎 Cross-industry collaboration such as the Circularity in Primary Pharmaceutical Packaging Accelerator (CiPPPA) initiative, can help create frameworks to scale innovations – aligning stakeholders to adopt pre-competitive solutions that can benefit the whole sector. Get in touch to find out how we can help your company define its sustainability goals.

It was fantastic to meet with TDi Sustainability's partners from the KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) Beacon Development team last week in Jeddah, and continue to contribute to the work they’re doing on environmental best practice in relation to mining in Saudi Arabia. This is particularly pertinent in the run up to the Future Minerals Forum event in January. KAUST Beacon Development brings together expertise in environmental and agricultural science to support projects critical to the achievement of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. I'm looking forward to continuing to work with the team in future. 

The EU Forced Labour Regulation is now in force. This marks a historic milestone in the global fight against forced labour. Published today, December 13, 2024, in the Official Journal of the EU, the Forced Labour Regulation (FLR) officially comes into effect. What is the Forced Labour Regulation? The FLR adopts the definition of “forced labour” from Article 2 of the 1930 International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 29: “All work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily,” with certain exceptions (e.g., mandatory conscription). This pioneering regulation applies to all businesses operating in the EU market, regardless of size, location, or sector. It bans the sale, import, and export of products made using forced labour. Although the law is missing some key components, its potential impact is enormous: 🟡 Transforming business practices to safeguard workers globally 🟡 Preventing perpetrators from profiting from forced labour 🟡 Offering consumers confidence in the products they purchase What’s Next? The product ban comes into effect on December 14, 2027, but action must start now. Businesses must assess their supply chains, address risks, and align with the FLR’s requirements. How can TDi Sustainability help? TDi Sustainability offers a range of resources to support your preparation for the implementation of the EU Forced Labour Regulation. These resources are designed to help you identify where forced labour might be occurring in your supply chains and take actionable steps toward compliance. Explore our resources: 🟡 Watch our webinar with James Alexander Hollins for expert insights into the regulation. 🟡 Listen to our podcast with Sunil Abeyasekera on identifying and addressing forced labour risks. 🟡 Download our three comprehensive guidebooks on forced labour. Access these resources on our website here: https://lnkd.in/d4HT3DHY In addition, TDi Sustainability provides tailored guidance to help businesses navigate this regulatory shift with confidence. Contact us today to discuss how we can help your organisation adapt to this new regulatory change. #forcedlabour #regulation