Significant shifts in soft commodity trade are continuing rapidly. China’s palm oil imports in August reached their highest level in six years at 590,000 tons. At current pace, China’s imports of palm oil are set to be the highest annual rate ever in 2019. This is likely another consequence of the U.S.-China trade war. As …
Dozens of the largest fast-moving consumer goods companies (FMCGs) have pledged to combat deforestation in recent years. Many did so as part of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF), which in 2010 set a goal of achieving net-zero deforestation by 2020 by responsibly sourcing soy, palm oil, paper and pulp, and cattle. Many also endorsed the …
Since the Amazon fires became worldwide news in August, companies operating in Brazil and the country itself have come under increased scrutiny and greater pressure from investors to address their roles in deforestation. Evidence shows that the fires in the Amazon overlap with human-driven deforestation. The likely response by the international community, consumers, and investors …
Sime Darby aims to sell its assets in Liberia by the end of 2019. The company has been considering a possible sale since early 2019. In February 2019, Chain Reaction Research (CRR) reported that a sale of its Liberian plantation was complicated as a result of high operational costs, a limited planted area, and expenses …
A large majority of global palm oil traders and refiners have implemented No Deforestation, No Peat, No Exploitation (NDPE) sourcing policies in recent years. Violations of such policies have repeatedly led to suspensions of oil palm growers from supply chains. Four years after the first suspension events, data is available on both short- and long-term …
Glencore Agriculture is an agricultural commodity trading company that operates in corn, cotton, soy, and grains markets. Glencore Agriculture has been a stand-alone business since Glencore PLC divested in 2016. Its main shareholders are Glencore PLC (49.99 percent), the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB; 39.99 percent) and the British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCI; …
Cargill is the largest privately-held company in the United States and the second largest soy exporter in Brazil. In April 2018, Chain Reaction Research (CRR) concluded that Cargill’s 2030 zero-deforestation deadline allowed its Brazilian suppliers to continue deforesting in the Cerrado. This report assesses Cargill’s current deforestation risks in Brazil’s soy supply chain, given recent …
In 2017, Chain Reaction Research (CRR) reported 6.1 million hectares (ha) of forest and peatland remained on oil palm concessions, land that can be considered “stranded assets.” This update discusses figures and trends in the palm oil industry since 2017 and argues that oil palm development on forest and peatland will remain economically unviable for …
PRI side event organised by Chain Reaction Research (CRR) Deforestation exposes upstream companies to market access risks, stranded asset risks and the risks of higher costs of capital. For the downstream fast‐moving consumer good (FMCG) companies, including food retailers, the value of these risks might be dwarfed by the value of reputation risk. This risk could become …
When: June 17, 2019 10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada) Description: Many fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies have publicly committed to a 2020 deadline to end deforestation in their supply chains. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that most FMCGs will not meet this deadline. Not meeting the 2020 deadline for zero-deforestation commitments …
The 2019 “Summer in the City” CSR Investing Summit, sponsored by S-Network Global Indexes, is an all-day conference that presents a forum for engaging with thought leaders and discussing their points of view on how to define, manage, and measure responsible investing. The conference includes expert practitioners who are plan sponsors, endowments, consultants, academics, non-governmental …
On behalf of Fern, Aidenvironment & Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI), you are invited to the event “Responsible Investment into Sustainable, Deforestation-free Supply Chains – Which EU Policies Do We Need?” which will take place on May 6, from 12.30 to 15.00 at the Norway House, Rue Archimède 17, 1000 Bruxelles. To register, please click here. Focusing on …
Chain Reaction Research (CRR) strives to provide objective insight and unbiased analysis on market trends and company and investor risk for its readers. CRR determines content based on what is considered to be of broad interest to readers and whether it can provide candid, high-level debate.
Chain Reaction Research conducts free sustainability risk analysis for financial analysts, credit analysts, commercial bankers, institutional investors, corporations, and other stakeholders. Our special focus is demonstrating that deforestation is material financial risk. We focus on tropical deforestation-related commodities including palm oil, soy, cattle, coffee, cacao, timber pulp and paper, and other products. We are funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI) scheme managed by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad), and the Moore Charitable Foundation. Chain Reaction Research statements and materials do not necessarily reflect the standpoints of the Packard Foundation, the Moore Foundation or Norad.
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