Forests: UK Plans Mandatory Due Diligence for Forest Risk Commodities

Oct 5, 2020 | Simon Tilling, Lexology
View Original

A group of large food companies have written to the Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to argue that the government's plans for a new law to protect overseas forests and natural land do not go far enough. Defra's consultation on mandatory due diligence rules for 'forest risk commodities' (agricultural and forestry commodities consumed by UK consumers which may be driving illegal deforestation) proposes making large businesses responsible for ensuring that the commodities in their supply chains are not derived from illegal deforestation and land clearance for agriculture. There are a set list of proposed forest risk commodities for which due diligence would be necessary: beef and leather; rubber; pulp, paper and timber; soya; palm oil; and cocoa.