Corporate social responsibility and supply agreements in the private sector: Decreasing land and climate pressures

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and supply agreements in the agricultural sector have a
significant role to play to promote agricultural climate change mitigation and decrease
pressure on the earth’s land and climate. Private sector engagement can also promote food
security and positively affect the livelihoods of smallholder agricultural producers in
developing countries. Based on a comprehensive literature survey and 15 interviews with key
organizations, companies and financiers or lenders, this report investigates: current private
sector climate change mitigation activities in agriculture and food production, highlighting
current innovations affecting production and supply chains of key commodities; explores how
CSR and supply chain commitments can improve their contribution to reductions in
agricultural GHG emissions; and surveys the role of governments, finance and investment in
promoting sustainability in the agricultural sector. Key findings identify a strong need for
harmonization among product standards, certification and by commodity roundtables, and the
need to mainstream sustainability criteria in agricultural finance and lending activities.