IDH has launched SourceUp, a global platform connecting producing landscapes with consuming markets. It is a neutral collaboration platform designed to make supply chains more sustainable by recognising sourcing landscapes.
IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative, is an organisation that works with businesses, financiers, governments and civil society to realise sustainable trade in global value chains.
In practice, SourceUp connects agricultural commodity companies with multi-stakeholder initiatives in producing regions to work towards sustainably sourcing agricultural commodities, while aligning local priorities with global commitments.
“SourceUp brings all stakeholders together and develops both the environment and business for sustainable sourcing,” World Bank lead agribusiness expert Christopher Brett said, during a IDH online event.
SourceUp allows companies to make purchasing decisions that meet sustainability targets, as it provides relevant and accurate information about the landscape.
The model also guides producing communities and local governments towards implementing management structures that will equip production systems for a sustainable future.
“The landscape strategy is a solution to systemic issues that the farm-by-farm approach, or direct contact by companies cannot generate alone,” IDH global landscapes director Matthew Spencer said.
The US Department of State, through WWF, is investing in consultancy for three producing regions in Colombia to identify and address information gaps in the landscapes for the recognition of verified sourcing areas. IDH’s SourceUp Platform was chosen to host the project.
The aim of the project is to implement an action plan that creates and expands the ability to accelerate this jurisdictional approach model. The work will be carried out in close integration with IDH, following an inclusive strategy that seeks to engage stakeholders from different sectors. The result is expected to be made publicly available in the second half of 2022.
“We need a tool to connect the market and the sourcing regions that are committed to sustainable development. That is what SourceUp does,” PCI Institute executive director Fernando Sampaio said.