The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) announced today that it will transform its hands-on commodity mapping tool into a self-guided web resource that will rapidly increase the number of companies that can access product data points from based. This new online tool will allow companies to self-map risk assessments and recommendations for action across all food and fiber supply chains, covering the global production of more than 200 products. This work is made possible through funding from the Walmart Foundation.

Most companies have little knowledge of the origins of their supply chain. TSC’s Product Mapping Program created and piloted a platform to predictively model where supply chains are most likely located using very limited information. This platform is based on TSC’s proprietary trade network model, which combines global maps of agricultural food and fiber crops with annual international import and export statistics.

“TSC is uniquely positioned to reach out to suppliers and support them on their sustainability journey by providing a starting point for understanding the origins and potential impacts of different cultures. The Commodity Mapping Tool fills a gap and helps businesses get started and gain a deeper understanding. of their supply chain impacts and opportunities, ”said Christy Slay, Senior Director, Scientific and Research Applications, TSC.

With additional funding, the expanded Commodity Mapping Tool plans can enable users to:

• Access the tool and run the tool itself on an easy-to-use web platform
• Engage and create interactive visualization using supply chain analysis maps and dashboards in a shareable format
• Securely upload procurement data and easily pass relevant KPIs to this data tool
• Access new datasets to improve both crop and risk analysis
• Let a company estimate the carbon impact of its supply chain in relation to recent deforestation
• Better connect to THESIS hotspots to understand the context of TSC metrics and product performance
• Leverage collaboration with the World Resources Institute to improve the resolution of commodity and smallholder deforestation

Over the course of the project, TSC will continue to integrate with existing data and platforms and ultimately seek to make the tool open access.

“The commodity mapping tool upgrade will enable consumer goods companies to protect, restore and sustainably manage natural resources more efficiently,” said Julie Gehrki, vice president and COO of the Walmart Foundation. “By increasing the information available on the origins and environmental and social risk factors of commodities, the improved tool will provide access to the information needed to drive more sustainable supply chains.”

Product mapping is already part of TSC’s core programming and is used by businesses. TSC’s existing tool and program allow companies to visualize and communicate sustainability issues or hot spots in food and fiber supply chains through maps and dashboards. By seeing the risks present in raw materials, companies can use this tool to understand, prioritize and manage risks in their value chain, even if they are not sure where their raw materials are coming from.

TSC translates the best sustainability science into business tools that are used around the world to create more sustainable consumer products. Their full impact report is available here.

About TSC: The Sustainability Consortium is a global non-profit organization transforming the consumer goods industry to deliver more sustainable consumer products. We work to enable a world where people can lead fulfilling lives in a way that decouples their impacts on people and the planet. Our members and partners include manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, service providers, NGOs, civil society organizations, government agencies, and academics. TSC invites our diverse stakeholders to work collaboratively to create decision tools and science-based solutions that address sustainability issues that are of material importance throughout the supply chain and lifecycle of an organization. product. TSC also offers a portfolio of services to help drive effective improvement and implementation. Formed in 2009, TSC is jointly administered by Arizona State University and the University of Arkansas and has a European office at Wageningen University and research in the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.sustainabilityconsortium.org.

About philanthropy at Walmart: Walmart.org represents the philanthropic efforts of Walmart and the Walmart Foundation. By focusing on business strengths, Walmart.org strives to solve key social and environmental issues and collaborates with others to drive lasting systemic change. Walmart has stores in 26 countries, employs more than 2.2 million associates, and does business with thousands of suppliers who, in turn, employ millions of people. Walmart.org is helping people live better by supporting programs to accelerate professional mobility for frontline workers, advance equity, fight hunger, create inclusive economic opportunities for people in supply chains, protect and restore nature, reduce waste and emissions, and build strong communities where Walmart operates. To learn more, visit www.walmart.org or connect on Twitter @Walmartorg

Press contact:

Erika Ferrin

TSC

Senior Director of Marketing, Communication and Development

[email protected]

480-965-7752