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Pilot project on the implementation of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains

In 2018, FAO and the OECD launched a pilot project to review the practical application of the OECD-FAO Guidance and its recommendations, providing insight on how companies implement its main findings. Over 30 companies and industry initiatives participated in the project.

A baseline report evaluated the extent to which the recommendations of the Guidance were addressed by participants, supported by information sharing on good practices and peer-learning webinars. A final report was released in October 2019, introducing lessons learned on the implementation of the OECD-FAO Guidance and the identification and mitigation of social and environmental risks.

Findings of the pilot project were validated at a joint OECD-FAO multi-stakeholder roundtable meeting that brought together over 60 participants from government, business, civil society, intergovernmental organizations, worker representatives and academia.

In 2021, FAO’s Pilot Project on the Implementation of the OECD-FAO Guidance was selected by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) as a Best Practice in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The pilot project concluded in 2019.


Businesses have taken steps to strengthen their approach to due diligence, with several demonstrating sophisticated management tools to identify and mitigate risks.

The adoption of due diligence strategies is often driven by external pressure or attention to certain thematic areas in supply chains.

Gaps still exist in how companies translate policy commitments into actions, particularly in organizing and maintaining regular stakeholder cooperation.

Many businesses are reliant on industry schemes, audits or third-party platforms which may not be tailored to their business models, or effective for identifying or mitigating risk.

A lack of information on individual due diligence practices among businesses has been observed in public reporting, preventing a culture of sharing practices and lessons on due diligence tools.

Publications
Responsible investment and COVID-19: Addressing impacts, risks and responsible business conduct in agricultural value chains
19/11/2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has generated serious threats to food security and nutrition and has greatly affected livelihoods and working conditions in agricultural value chains. This policy brief focuses on the role of responsible investment and responsible business conduct along agricultural value chains in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides policy recommendations for governments, investors, enterprises and civil society on how they can encourage responsible investment and responsible business conduct in agriculture in these challenging times.

OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains
01/01/2016

FAO and the OECD have jointly developed this practical guidance to help enterprises observe existing standards of responsible business conduct along agricultural supply chains. The guidance is a summary of existing voluntary standards and principles, including the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS RAI) endorsed by the CFS in 2014. It does not aim to create any new standards, nor does it seek to substitute existing ones. Rather, the guidance aims to help c ompanies implement existing standards by providing recommendations on the steps that they should undertake to identify and address risks of adverse impacts that stem from their activities. This is part of a broader effort of FAO to promote good practices for agricultural investment.

Projects