Environmental and social compliance assessment of the bergamot value chain for sustainable sourcing Italy

Context of the service

Private companies sourcing bio-based materials – particularly in developing countries – must now take into account several European legislative texts, which have a direct impact on their practices.

Two European Directives (Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence – CSDD and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive – CSRD) that came into force in 2024 require large companies to conduct due diligence to identify, prevent and mitigate adverse human rights and environmental impacts in their value chain, and to report their impacts accurately and transparently.

This service is part of a long-term support for a luxury perfumery player in the identification of risks relating to human, social, environmental, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) rights, and the resilience of its supply chains around the world, and the mitigation of these risks (implementation of compliance actions for all players in the sector / strengthening of certification schemes (UEBT, organic, FFL) / changes of supplier and/or supply area).

Services provided

- Prior risk assessment - depending on the region and the product concerned - from global databases: forced labour, child labour, indigenous peoples, corruption, HDI, biodiversity, deforestation, etc.

- Analysis of bibliographic data on the value chains: key actors, socio-economic importance (including on the decent income of rural households), water stress management, forced labour (irregular migrant workers), traceability, fire management, market dynamics, risks related to the handling of chemicals, etc.

- Analysis of documents provided by local suppliers: procedures in place, level of traceability, employee management, certification, etc.

- Field missions and interviews (i) at the extraction sites, with permanent and seasonal managers and employees, and (ii) on the plots, with producers, pickers and seasonal employees.

- Compilation of data into grids of more than 75 criteria, triangulation with different sources and assignment of a rating.

- Feedback with suppliers and definition of compliance action plans with deadlines.

Summary of the service

Environmental and social compliance assessment of the bergamot value chain for sustainable sourcing: Preliminary risk assessment based on global databases; Analysis of bibliographic data on the sectors; Analysis of documents provided by suppliers; Field missions and interviews with all stakeholders (extraction sites, producers' plots and plantations); Compilation / triangulation / scoring in a grid of more than 75 criteria; Feedback with suppliers and definition of a compliance action plan.