The team addressed the challenges laid down by the Advisory Board: how to strengthen the environmental pillar of responsible sourcing, how to operationalize the Ruggie framework (business & human rights), and to how increase membership from other continents than US and Europe. These will be further discussed with the Advisory Board at a telcon on 18 April. The meeting also reviewed two new deliverables: the first AIM-PROGRESS benchmarking study on responsible sourcing programmes (see separate article) and a guidance document on how to integrate business integrity requirements into supplier codes (see also separate article). The chairman of Bonsucro was invited to give an update on where the initiative stands. AIM-PROGRESS members are supportive of Bonsucro and are eager to source certified cane sugar in the near future. The workstreams reported on latest developments and were given guidance on future orientation. A new work stream on human rights was initiated to take the Advisory Board challenge on the Ruggie framework further. The Agriculture/ extractives work stream will soon issue a compendium of relevant agricultural initiatives to provide guidance to members on what is out there and what the focus of the different initiatives is.
