Coconut – challenges and pathways to a more sustainable production

Welcome to a member webinar on building a more sustainable coconut supply chains. We will unpack social and environmental risks and share practical initiatives and solutions. The session will be held in English and is open to members of the Swedish Platform on Risk Commodities and Ethical Trade Sweden.

Background

Coconut is today not only a widely used and highly popular product in the food sector but is also used in everything from cosmetics and skincare products to soaps and detergents in the form of coconut oil. While the demand for coconut is high, the coconut sector is driven mainly by smallholders, many of whom are residing in poor and remote areas and who are working under difficult and often dangerous conditions.

Coconut production often does not generate a sufficient income for farmers to ensure a decent standard of living and has been linked to poor working conditions, child labour as well as safety risks for workers. The sector is also facing various environmental challenges, as well as issues related to traceability and transparency in the coconut supply chain.

About the webinar

At the webinar, we will discuss key challenges and potential solutions for a more sustainable coconut supply chain, together with the Coconut Partnership and Rainforest Alliance.

The session will provide insights into environmental and social risks in coconut production, as well as highlight ongoing initiatives and solutions to improve sustainability across the supply chain.

Speakers

Matthew Ford, Rainforest Alliance – has experience from leading the organisation’s certified coconut oil programme and will give an introduction to tools and approaches for addressing risks and challenges in coconut supply chains.

Jonathan Bird, Sustainable Coconut Partnership – works as Supply Chain Transformation Manager and will provide a deeper dive into key risks in coconut supply chains and explain how the multi-stakeholder platform addresses them through its assurance system and impact programme.

Contact

For questions about the webinar or the Swedish Platform on Risk Commodities, please contact Miriam Thunborg on miriam.thunborg@etiskhandel.se.

Photo credit: Emmanuel Appiah via Unsplash.