Greater due diligence in supply chains welcome

Reacting to the Government’s announcement on requiring greater due diligence from businesses to protect rainforests, Signe Norberg, Public Affairs Manager at the Aldersgate Group, said: “We welcome Lord Goldsmith’s announcement today on tackling illegal deforestation and introducing an amendment to the Environment Bill which will enhance due diligence requirements for UK businesses. Enhancing resilience, traceability and sustainability across business supply chains is essential to protect the world’s rainforests and this announcement is an important legislative step in that direction.”

Signe Norberg added: “Today’s measures can help pave the way for further protections for other vital ecological assets. Given the scale of global demand for commodities coming from rainforests, the UK must now encourage other major economies to introduce similar legal requirements and work with nations hosting vital rainforests to strengthen domestic forest protection laws.”