Apples, Computers, Diapers, Peaches, Hair Coloring Products and Melons Reported as Highest Scoring Categories on the 2017 Sustainability Index
The Sustainability Consortium releases its list of highest scoring product categories.
September 24, 2018, Scottsdale, AZ – The Sustainability Consortium released today an additional chapter to their 2018 Impact Report, Transparent Supply Chains for Better Business, revealing the product categories that scored the highest on the 2017 Sustainability Index, which is primarily used by Walmart and Sam’s Club. TSC translates the best sustainability science into business tools that are used all over the world to create more sustainable consumer products. TSC’s surveys cover 120 different product categories representing more than 80% of the sustainability impacts of all of consumer goods.
Out of a 100-point scale, the six highest-ranking categories are Apples and Pears, Computers, Diapers, Stone Fruit, Hair Coloring Products and Cucumbers, Melons and Squash.
These six products are considered part of TSC’s 60 and Up Club for scoring 60 points or higher on the most recent Sustainability Index. The high performance of these categories is evidence that supply chain transparency is increasing in different sectors of consumer goods production.
Euan Murray, TSC Chief Executive, states, “Many of these product categories already have systems in place in their supply chains to communicate operational data, but only recently have they been asked to share sustainability-related data. We are pleased to see so many different product categories score so well and to see progress towards more transparent supply chains”.
Apples and Pears scored particularly strong because all of the suppliers in this category responded that they conducted crop supply mapping for 100% of their crop. Additionally, most suppliers score high on transparency by tracking food waste in their distribution channels. Between 2016 and 2017, Apples and Pears suppliers also made significant improvement in their transparency scores related to soil erosion management and water irrigation on-farm.
In addition to apples, pears, peaches, cucumbers, melons and squash being in the Club, many other specialty crops, such as Berries and Grapes, Lettuce and Leaf Vegetables, Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplant scored between 55 and 59 and earned an honorable mention.
“Specialty crops usually have shorter supply chains than more complex food products and traceability may be more likely to be achieved,” stated TSC Chief Scientist, Dr. Kevin Dooley.
A full analysis of these categories and the 2017 Sustainability Index can be found here.
About TSC
The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) is a global organization transforming the consumer goods industry to deliver more sustainable consumer products. We are dedicated to improving the sustainability of consumer products. Our members and partners include manufacturers, retailers, suppliers, service providers, NGOs, civil society organizations, governmental agencies and academics. Each member brings valuable perspectives and expertise. TSC convenes our diverse stakeholders to work collaboratively to build science-based decision tools and solutions that address sustainability issues that are materially important throughout a product’s supply chain and lifecycle. TSC also offers a portfolio of services to help drive effective implementation. The Sustainability Consortium has more than 100 members and there are over 2,000 users of TSC tools worldwide; it convenes more than 200 global organizations annually over an average of 75 networking opportunities. Formed in 2009, TSC is jointly administered by Arizona State University and the University of Arkansas. It also has a European office at Wageningen University and Research, and a Chinese office in Tianjin, China. For more information visit www.sustainabilityconsortium.org.
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