Only two years since Chain Reaction Research’s report on cattle-driven deforestation, beef production in Brazil has expanded measurably under favorable political, legislative, and enforcement changes. This development has occurred alongside increased deforestation, fires, and land-grabbing in the Amazon. Investors and buyers in global supply chains have responded by demanding more compliance and transparency from the …
The Brazilian government has sent mixed signals regarding the urgency to tackle deforestation in the country. As pressure from international investors has stepped up against land clearing for agricultural purposes in Brazil, the government has said it will take steps to assuage their fears and reduce forest loss. However, when speaking to domestic audiences, government …
Brazilian soy exports have risen steeply amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a result of attractive exchange rates, agribusiness expansion, US-China tensions, and efforts to mitigate the risk of supply chain uncertainties. As demand for Brazilian soy soars, agribusinesses and farmland developers are seizing the opportunity to expand in the biodiverse Cerrado biome in western Bahia, …
Investors have recently stepped up their pressure on meatpacking companies operating in the Amazon over deforestation, meeting with government officials, warning of growing reputational risks for the sector, and even threatening divestment. One investor has followed through on the divestment threat, selling EUR 40 million worth of shares. Nordea Asset Management has divested from JBS …
Yum China Holding Inc. (YUMC) is the largest restaurant chain in China. In June 2020, YUMC reportedly filed for a confidential secondary listing in Hong Kong. This report presents the company’s deforestation risk exposure and associated financial risks. Download the PDF here: Major Deforestation Footprint a Risk for Yum China’s Secondary Listing Report Webinar Recording: …
BlackRock Investment Stewardship released a report on sustainability this week, providing an overview of the asset manager’s voting practices and engagement in 2020 connected to climate change. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, says that it has voted against 53 companies for not making enough progress in disclosing climate risks or integrating these risks into …
A number of companies, including high-profile traders, have recently announced progress in efforts to reduce deforestation in the Cerrado soy supply chain. Chinese COFCO International aims to strengthen its traceability system to go deforestation-free by 2023, while seafood company Mowi has committed to sourcing only deforestation-free soy by next year. Meanwhile, members of the Soft …
Norwegian Grieg Seafood will not allow any funds from its Green Bond to be used to purchase feed supply from Cargill Aqua Nutrition, which is wholly owned by Cargill Inc. Grieg Seafood has excluded Cargill purchases from the eligible project types because of Cargill Inc.’s connections to deforestation in the Cerrado soy market. Grieg Seafood …
Palm oil spot markets have become a backdoor that has allowed non-compliant producers to enter into the supply chains of companies with No Deforestation, No Peatland, and No Exploitation policies. The spot market’s nature allows palm products to cross many hands before reaching their final destinations, making due diligence difficult. Chain Reaction Research (CRR) analysts …
A historic 2019 fire season in Brazil came as a surprise for many and garnered the attention of the entire world. Between July and October of last year, 981,282 fire alerts were registered in Brazil, an 83 percent increase compared to 2018, as CRR showed in a recent report. In the wake of accelerating deforestation …
