An online platform to create a more sustainable supply chain has been launched with the Co-op Group as a founding partner.
The Group will join Mars, WRAP and the Carbon Trust in the Manufacture 2030 initiative that brings together retailers, brands and their manufacturing suppliers.
Founded by 2degrees, a digital platform provider for sustainable business, the project has set up a secure channel where participants can share objectives, policies and working practices.
It has also launched three hubs, where information and advice on energy, waste and water can be shared.
Sarah Wakefield, food sustainability manager at the Group, says being part of the project will enable their suppliers to share best practice and limit the time spent on reporting – with the ultimate aim of reducing environmental impact.
“We firmly believe that working together with other major businesses and building trust among our suppliers are key in achieving our goals,” she said.
Another element of the project is the M2030 Bee tool, which allows manufacturers to create a sustainability action plan, prioritise areas, and complete tasks by connecting with people, resources and performance data.
The project estimates that sustainable cross-industry collaboration could have a global value of around $12tn (£9.72tn) and create 380 million jobs by 2030.
“The challenge for businesses is that most of that opportunity sits in sprawling supply chains and until Manufacture 2030 there has been no cost effective way to unlock it,” says Martin Chilcott, CEO of 2degrees.
“The case for sustainable business has never been stronger. And now with Manufacture 2030, it has just got a lot easier.”
