GPSNR introduces assurance system for natural rubber sustainability

Singapore – The Global Platform for Sustainable Natural Rubber (GPSNR) has drawn up an industry-wide assurance system providing a ‘standardised stage-by-stage’ process to implement and verify sustainably across the natural rubber (NR) value chain.

The assurance system is currently being piloted by some volunteer manufacturers and processors until end of August, said GPSNR, which represents nearly 60% of the value chain.

The model covers four mandatory elements - an ‘assurance assessment checklist’ which will spell out the minimum requirements that members will have to meet on all aspects of the GPSNR policy framework.

An ‘assurance protocol’ provides guidelines to external assessors, and a ‘remediation protocol’ covers actions and timelines to close the gaps identified by the assessors.

The final element is a ‘members journey’: a broad timeline to achieve these requirements, said GPSNR 21 June.

Additionally, the model includes tools that will support members in putting the assurance model into practice, such as a due diligence framework and national risk assessments.

Three of the four mandatory elements have currently been put up on a public consultation to seek comments and additional input to finetune the different aspects of the model.

The feedback collected via the pilots and the public consultation will be integrated into the assurance model and put up for members’ review at the annual general assembly in October.

By 2025, all GPSNR members will be using this model in their operations.

"Having a system that can verify and cross check the implementation of our members’ commitments has always been our overarching goal at GPSNR," said platform director Stefano Savi.

Members have now voted in the assurance system, demonstrating “their intent to deliver on their sustainability promises,” Savid added.

GPSNR members are meeting in Singapore this week to iron out the details of the minimum requirements spelt out in the assurance model checklist.

They will also discuss the nature of the claims that can be made, the feedback from the pilots and the assurance protocol for third party assessors.