CASE STUDIES
TSC Retailer Commitments
TSC analyzed public commitments made by a representative cross-section sampling of retailers in Europe and the United States. This analysis is limited to SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound) supply chain goals that are expected to be achieved between 2020 – 2050. Each SMART aspect of a goal is considered a single commitment.
For the purpose of this analysis, commitments are classified according to the following TSC Impact Groups:
| Climate |
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| Ecosystems & Biodiversity |
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| Health & Safety |
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| Resources |
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| Social well-being |
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Commitments by Impact Group
Deforestation, sustainable agriculture, and palm oil commitments are the most common issues within the leading impact group, Ecosystems & Biodiversity. Although there are significantly fewer Health and Safety commitments, the majority address chemicals of concern for consumer safety. Another trend to consider is certifications. More than 50% of the analyzed retailers referenced Fair Trade, Forest Stewardship Council, Marine Stewardship Council, Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification, Rainforest Alliance, and Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.
2020 is the most popular target year primarily due to deforestation commitments. Although progress has been made in certain geographies, TSC’s research indicates that deforestation has not slowed and in fact has remained steady or increased since these commitments were made. Therefore, we expect to see a sense of urgency and results-oriented approach that renews these commitments into the next two most common target years, 2025 and 2030 where Resources (e.g., packaging, waste & circularity, food waste) and Climate (climate & energy and transportation & logistics) are currently top priorities.
Commitment Deadlines by Impact Group
Number of Commitments by Retailer
With no value judgment on the impact of each commitment, Target leads in volume while Costco and Spar have publicly defined the fewest supply chain commitments. Through our work with TSC members Amazon, Kroger, Sprouts, and Walmart, TSC can confidently say these public commitments provide a small peek into the significant amount of effort and resources retailers are undertaking to make new or renew and ultimately achieve SMART supply chain goals. As TSC evolves THESIS over the next few years, we expect to be able to help retailers in these efforts.
*Includes both Walgreens and Boots and Alliance Healthcare
CONTACT
Jessica Ginger
Director, THESIS Impact Team
The Sustainability Consortium
jessica.ginger@sustainabilityconsortium.org
