Transparency in Sustainability Reporting Takes Centre Stage as Consumer Goods Leaders Launch First Collective Annual Report

• The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has today underlined its dedication to transparent reporting by launching its first Annual Report. The report reviews commitments, activities, and accomplishments of 400 CGF members over the last 12 months and highlights business leadership on sustainability.
• It follows COP26 climate talks and the CGF’s announcement as a UN Race to Zero Accelerator to help increase progress towards net zero among its global membership.
• Contributions come from CGF Co-Chairs Daniel Zhang, CEO of Alibaba, and James Quincey, Chairman and CEO of The Coca-Cola Company as well as the CEOs of companies including Carrefour, Danone, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Mars Incorporated, Mondelēz International, Nestlé, Sainsburys, Tesco and Unilever.
• Successes include the Forest Positive Coalition’s first annual report, Plastic Waste Coalition’s Golden Design Rules, the launch of the Human Rights Coalition – Working to End Forced Labour and the call to action to do more to support vulnerable communities during the global pandemic.

PARIS 30^th November — The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) today publishes its first annual report, ‘Collective action today, impact at scale tomorrow – review 2021’. The report details the collaboration of over 400 members and highlights the work and achievements of its eight specialist Coalitions of Action.

Providing a transparent review, the report is part of CGF’s commitment to continually go further and do more to ensure better lives through better business. In what has been a challenging year for the industry, the report evidences the progress made, while acknowledging the difficulty of collaborating on big, global challenges. Created with the support of KPMG, it features examples of Coalition work across issues such as deforestation, social justice, plastic waste, food waste, health, forced labour, food safety and data accuracy.

Highlights include:

• The Plastic Waste Coalition’s launch of the nine “Golden Design Rules” for packaging that are now being implemented globally to embrace the circular economy and decrease single use plastic. The research of the Coalition has indicated that if implemented, the rules will deliver a dramatic reduction in plastic waste into nature and more than 30% increased recycling rates.
• The Collaboration for Healthier Lives Coalition co-ordinating a global response to support vulnerable communities during the pandemic. Actions included improving access to healthier foods and personal care products, donating food and personal care products to food banks and community programmes, and working with partners who provide essential support locally.
• The Forest Positive Coalition’s launch of its first-ever Annual Report – the first time member businesses have aligned on a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and publicly reported their individual and collective results to take deforestation out of the supply chain. The report was launched as part of Climate Week in New York in September 2021.
• The Human Rights Coalition – Working to End Forced Labour was launched on International Human Rights Day in December 2020, to commit the industry to collective action to bring forced labour to an end and increase transparency in the supply chain.
• In order to benefit communities, economies and the climate by tackling food waste, the Food Waste Coalition is now publicly reporting on their food surplus and waste data in an aligned approach. This is part of the Coalition’s decisive objective to accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to cut per capita food loss in half worldwide.
• Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) started a new chapter as the CGF’s Coalition of Action on Food Safety in March 2021 and, more recently, published the first-ever set of Benchmarking Requirements for food safety auditor Professional Recognition Bodies.

In Spring 2020, CGF transitioned to CEO-led coalitions to encourage collaboration and focus on greater impact at scale. By March 2021, eight coalitions had been created, and through the work of Food Waste, Forest Positive, Global Food Safety Initiative, Collaboration for Healthier Lives, Human Rights, Plastic Waste, Product Data and Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative the group has brought together some of the most influential CEOs of world-leading consumer goods companies to collaborate across borders and overcome barriers to deliver action.

Wai-Chan Chan, Managing Director of CGF commented on these highlights:

“If we are going to mitigate the greatest risks of the climate crisis and protect the health of communities around the world, we need to be our own biggest critics. That is exactly why we have published our first annual review, committing to rigorous and transparent reporting to accelerate action and build trust.

All our members are committed to finding solutions together that have tangible, positive effects on people, the planet and business – and it is heartening to see the many examples of this across 2021. However, as COP26 underlined, we must continue to act with urgency and work towards even more ambitious targets in 2022, scaling up our impact. Our approaches to achieve this, beyond the work of our Coalitions of Action, include increasing our reach in Asia, building on our digital connections, and expanding to working with smaller, more localised members – encouraging action at every level.”

The report demonstrates the industry’s resilience, while recognising the challenges ahead. These include ensuring both the representation and transparency of companies of all sizes, particularly those in developing markets.

In the report’s foreword, CGF Board Co-Chairs, James Quincey, Chairman & CEO of The Coca-Cola Company, and Daniel Zhang, Chairman & CEO of Alibaba Group, said:

“As an organisation, we are constantly striving to deliver tangible value to our members through the introduction of new innovations and industry-wide solutions that can be readily adopted in their own operations. 

“One of the key reasons why industry leaders join the CGF is the opportunity to connect, share experiences and learn from each other. The pandemic provided us with a new set of challenges to deliver on that promise and ensure that members continue to receive value from their participation in the CGF’s work.”

René Vader, Global Head of Consumer & Retail, KPMG said:

“The conversations with the CGF board members were passionate and inspiring. The consumer and retail sector may face complex challenges but a commitment to collaboration can help overcome barriers to action and enable a better future.”

CGF is the only CEO-led organisation that represents both consumer goods manufacturers and retailers globally, bringing together senior leaders from more than 400 organisations across 70 countries.

To read the report, visit the CGF website.

For more information, please contact: NatalieCush@forster.co.uk

Notes to editors

Visit the CGF on Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Facebook to be the first to hear updates and new programme confirmations.

About The Consumer Goods Forum

• The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) is the only CEO-led organisation that represents both manufacturers and retailers globally. With more than 55 of the world’s top CEOs on our Board of Directors, we bring together the senior leaders from more than 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries.
• We’re committed to using our huge, influential reach to create changes which have tangible and lasting positive effects on people, planet and business. CGF members believe businesses must look after the planet, care for people and communities, and earn the trust of consumers through genuine openness, optimism and innovation.
• We understand the need to do business the right way, but we know we can’t do it alone. We collaborate globally to improve our industries, driving change through Coalitions of Action on eight urgent issues: forests, human rights, plastics, healthier lives, food waste, food safety, supply chains and product data.
• See more at theconsumergoodsforum.com

Contact Information: