The publication is the world's first practitioner's guide to sustainable sourcing of agricultural raw materials and is the result of a joint effort by seven global organizations, including the International Trade Centre (ITC).
The guide is an open-source innovation tool that captures, in a single document, best practices and experiences from global corporations within a strategic, business logic-focused framework. It empowers managers by providing a user-friendly step-by step roadmap to building and rolling out sustainable agriculture sourcing strategies effectively.

Climate change, increased pressure on natural resources and continued poverty are affecting crops and water supply globally. This poses a significant risk to the food and beverage industry, which is the world's biggest purchaser of agricultural raw materials. For a secure, safe and increasing supply, crops must be grown and sourced in a sustainable manner taking full account of environmental, social and economic considerations. Doing this effectively calls for changes in managerial mind-sets and specific knowledge and skillsets.
ITC Executive Director Ms. Patricia Francis, said: 'Working towards more environmentally friendly, socially just and economically sustainable sourcing practices is central to ITC's work towards better and more sustainable exports. This guide is a milestone and will help ITC and our partners achieve these goals.'

Dr. Ernesto A. Brovelli, President of the SAI Platform and Senior Manager, Sustainable Agriculture with The Coca-Cola Company, said: 'This work reflects the spirit of the SAI Platform; one which aligns farmers and the food and beverage industry behind a common pursuit. Following a compelling narrative and clear examples, this publication is breaking ground in helping the reader navigate the path towards more sustainable sourcing.'
To help companies convert these risks to business opportunities, a unique collaboration between seven high-profile organizations has led to the production of the guide. The guide pools knowledge and resources, but collaborative outreach will also be an important part of assuring its impact.

The collaborating partners are: the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (SAI) Platform, the CSL Learning Platform of IMD's Global Center for Sustainability Leadership, the International Trade Centre, and the Sustainable Trade Initiative. BSR, the Sedex Information Exchange and the Sustainable Food Laboratory also contributed to the development of the guide and are supporting its outreach.