Launch of the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Soya
The UK Roundtable on Sustainable Soya was launched on March 19th at The Royal Society in London, attended by more than 35 national and international food businesses and associations involved in the consumption of soya in the UK.
Major UK retailers and food industry associations have called upon the government for support in convening key stakeholders to address mounting concerns regarding the connection between soya production and tropical deforestation. Responding to this urgency, the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) will host the UK Roundtable on Sustainable Soya. Efeca has been enlisted to facilitate these efforts as part of the UK’s investment in the Partnerships for Forests programme, aimed at catalysing investments in sustainable land use and forest protection. This initiative also seeks to create an enabling environment and stimulate demand for commodities sourced without causing deforestation.
The Roundtable will serve as a ‘pre-competitive’ platform where companies and industry associations can collaborate under government guidance to establish a sustainable soya supply chain for the UK market. This collaborative approach builds on the growing consensus among businesses and receives support at the highest levels of political leadership to accelerate progress towards sustainable agricultural commodities.
Drawing lessons from the successful UK Roundtable for Sourcing Sustainable Palm Oil, established in 2012, the Roundtable on Sustainable Soya aims to replicate and build upon its achievements. Since its inception, the palm oil roundtable has significantly boosted imports of sustainable palm oil, demonstrating the potential impact of such collaborative initiatives.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Soya will not only align with global efforts to develop sustainable supply chains but also aims to catalyse a mass market shift towards secure, resilient, and sustainable soya sourcing. By leveraging insights and best practices from international models, the Roundtable seeks to ensure that UK businesses lead the way in promoting sustainability within their supply chains.
Efeca, with its expertise in facilitating sustainability initiatives and its role in managing the Partnerships for Forests programme, is well-positioned to support the Roundtable’s objectives. This includes fostering dialogue, sharing knowledge, and driving collective action to address the environmental and social impacts associated with soya production.
For more information, see the full briefing.
