There has never been a more urgent time for leadership and meaningful action from responsible businesses. The intertwined relationship between business, society and the environment has become clearer than ever; businesses cannot thrive unless the communities around them are thriving.

This ethos is central to The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) – a global network bringing together senior leaders from more than 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries. CGF is the only CEO-led organisation that represents both manufacturers and retailers globally. It uses its influential reach to encourage the global adoption of practices and standards, providing a way for companies to make their businesses and the entire industry more sustainable.

From 20–23 June 2022, businesses from around the world will convene at CGF’s Global Summit, to help accelerate progress for business, people and planet. The event provides a major opportunity for CEOs, industry experts and opinion leaders to reflect on urgent challenges facing business, society and the environment – and consider how to ensure resilient companies and communities.

Here, we look at how CGF is helping to tackle the most pressing issues facing the consumer goods industry.

Tackling deforestation

Globally, 88,000 square kilometres of natural forest is lost every year, an area of forest the size of London every week. And with this vast loss comes huge consequences.

Through CGF’s Forest Positive Coalition of Action, 21 of the world’s leading retailers and manufacturers have joined together to help end deforestation. Partners share a commitment to eliminate forest damage and destruction from supply chains of palm oil, soy, paper, pulp and fibre-based packaging, and beef – and to be open about their progress.

Towards the end of last year, the Coalition launched a new strategy for driving transformational, forest positive change in the regions where the Coalition’s key commodities are produced and sourced.

Didier Bergeret, Director of CGF’s Forest Positive Coalition, explains: “We know how crucial it is to collaborate with leaders, governments, communities, NGOs and sector leaders to translate ambitious targets to meaningful and measurable change. Addressing deforestation must be carried out in a way that protects not just natural habitats and biodiversity, but also smallholders and indigenous peoples.”

Combatting forced labour

A shocking 25 million people around the world are currently estimated to be victims of forced labour. That is equivalent to Australia’s entire population being forced to work under threat of violence, intimidation, debt bondage or coercion, among other abuses.

CGF is clear that no business should shy away from the issue of forced labour – or afford to think they are immune to the risks. Only by being transparent about how difficult it is to root these crimes out and working collaboratively to improve the situation from the inside out, can companies achieve the scale of action needed to eradicate this endemic issue.

Businesses must put their heads above the parapet and lead change, as the companies who are part of CGF’s Human Rights Coalition – Working to End Forced Labour are doing. By publicly committing to put an end to forced labour, and actively taking a series of agreed steps, members are helping to create responsible recruitment markets and working conditions free from forced labour.

Embracing the circular economy

Our world has a problem with plastic waste. 95 percent of plastic packaging is still created for single-use, and plastic packaging remains on the rise globally.

Beating the global plastic problem will take action at every level. But as an alliance of 40 of the world’s largest consumer brands and retailers, CGF’s Coalition of Action on Plastic Waste is striving to deliver the solutions that industry can provide.

The Coalition’s series of ‘Golden Design Rules’ for plastic packaging will help cut unnecessary plastic use, ensure more recycled content in packaging, and support effective reuse and recycling systems. Packaging that can be recycled more easily is just one of the ways consumers will see the impact.

CGF is also collaborating with other key organisations that are working to help ensure no plastic waste ends up in nature. Achieving this will mean moving towards a new life cycle for plastic packaging – a circular life cycle where plastic never becomes waste or pollution, but is used again and again, in many different forms, releasing all its economic value while reducing carbon emissions.

Driving consumers to make healthier choices

People increasingly want to live healthier and more sustainable lifestyles for longer; and members of CGF’s Collaboration for Healthier Lives Coalition recognise how crucial the industry is to helping people achieve this. Led by manufacturers, retailers, public health authorities, academics and local communities, the Coalition’s aim is to make healthier decisions easier and habitual for people everywhere.

From food labelling to ensuring access to affordable and healthy food and drink, CGF is driving healthier choices in-store, online and in communities throughout the world, showing how digital technology can help empower and inspire people to live healthier lives.

Ensuring safe food for everyone

An estimated 600 million people currently fall ill after eating contaminated food each year – and the global burden of foodborne diseases affects people of all ages, particularly children and individuals in low-income countries.

CGF collaborates across borders and barriers to help ensure safe food for everyone. Its Coalition of Action on Food Safety – the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) brings together retailers and manufacturers from across the CGF membership, as well as an extended food safety community, to oversee food safety standards for businesses and help provide access to safe food for people everywhere.

GFSI’s ambition is to strengthen food safety systems so they are able to feed the growing, global population and develop markets that can deliver food safely, no matter where in the world the consumer is.