MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Leading EU corporations reaffirm their commitment to combat deforestation

“We are committed through traceability and transparency to ending deforestation in our production chains”

Leading European multinationals from the food industry, involved in the production of food, cosmetics, consumer and luxury goods are calling for tougher EU measures to combat deforestation in their respective supply chains.

In a joint statement, Barry Callebaut, Carrefour, Danone, Jerónimo Martins, Kering, L’Occitane, Metro, Nestlé, Reckitt, Sainsbury’s, and Tesco said that the commitment to ending deforestation must begin with the requirement for product and raw material traceability of raw materials when they enter the European common market.

“We recognize that our businesses have a responsibility in this challenge because our supply chains are global and include commodities that can contribute to deforestation. Therefore, we are committed to ending deforestation in our production chains, and we have implemented measures to that end over the last ten years,” the companies said in the statement.

According to the multinational corporations, traceability and transparency of the supply chain are fundamental to drive and achieve a system change. As the largest market in the world, the European Union is “in a strong position to promote a more sustainable commodity origination on a global level through trade.”