PROGRAMME

Get the day started with a run along the beautiful Rhine river

With just ten years left to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, it is time to step up efforts towards a world where trade delivers social, environmental and economic benefits to everyone. The role of business is key to achieving these goals. Unfortunately, businesses face a number of disruptive challenges: climate change-induced extreme weather events, trade wars and pandemics. Building both resilient and sustainable supply chains will be a key success factor for businesses in a globalized and fast-changing world.

This opening plenary session will set the scene for the two days of the Unleash Opportunity 2020. We’ll present the major global trends for trade and sustainability and how companies can respond, adapt and continue to drive positive change.

1.1 – A Whole New World: Discover the amfori Integrated Platform

The development of a new platform has been one of the key priorities for amfori in recent years. With this important project nearing completion, what better opportunity than the UO conference to discover its features? Join the amfori team for an interactive workshop, where you will learn tips and tricks that members can use in their platform journey.

1.2 – How to Conduct Solid Wood Due Diligence in Timber Value-Chains

In February 2020, amfori launched its Timber Due Diligence tool. This new BEPI service allows companies to carry out due diligence and demonstrate compliance with the EU Timber Regulation. As well as presenting the amfori tool, this session will thoroughly examine efficient due diligence in the timber sector. The session will give value-chain operators the chance to exchange information on due diligence. What are the roadblocks? What are the solutions and best practices?

1.3 – Women’s Empowerment: From the C-Suite to the Factory Floor – Challenges and Opportunities

amfori has signed the UN Women/UNGC Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). We are reconfirming our commitment to supporting businesses to champion women’s empowerment in global supply chains. These principles aim for comprehensive women’s empowerment in all areas: corporate leadership, the workplace, education and training, supply chains and the community.
While sourcing countries have been a key area for progress on female workers’ empowerment, there is a need to make sure that a “gender lens” is applied consistently, at headquarters and throughout the supply chain. This session will present challenges encountered and lessons learnt through the WEPs. We will explore how amfori and its members can advance women’s empowerment and support female workers at all levels.

1.4 – Responsible Recruitment and Production

Responsible recruitment is a key component of amfori’s social compliance work. We offer a dedicated module on this subject on amfori BSCI under the scope of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 8, 12 and 17. Responsible recruitment is not only for the protection of workers’ rights but also to ensure that practices are carried out ethically throughout all supply chains. This includes the protection of vulnerable migrant workers, workforce integration and the possibility of remediation.
This session will be an opportunity to discuss the latest and upcoming trends affecting migration patterns. Companies need to take migration patterns into account to ensure that vulnerable migrants are not exploited. This is best done by working collaboratively with local bodies, agencies and NGOs. The session will also reflect on remediation mechanisms and how to continuously improve them.

1.5 – Trade Preferences With Purpose

Free trade does not mean a free-for-all. To get preferential duty levels when trading with the EU, third countries need to agree to certain conditions. Due to these conditions, sustainable development requirements are embedded into free trade agreements. Commitments to core ILO conventions and UN declarations are part of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).

These instruments can generate extra income for third countries and can raise those countries out of poverty. At the same time, they improve social and environmental performance. This session is an excellent opportunity to learn more about amfori Advocacy’s work and participate in a discussion on socially conscious trade preferences.

1.1 – A Whole New World: Discover the amfori Integrated Platform

The development of a new platform has been one of the key priorities for amfori in recent years. With this important project nearing completion, what better opportunity than the UO conference to discover its features? Join the amfori team for an interactive workshop, where you will learn tips and tricks that members can use in their platform journey.

1.2 – How to Conduct Solid Wood Due Diligence in Timber Value-Chains

In February 2020, amfori launched its Timber Due Diligence tool. This new BEPI service allows companies to carry out due diligence and demonstrate compliance with the EU Timber Regulation. As well as presenting the amfori tool, this session will thoroughly examine efficient due diligence in the timber sector. The session will give value-chain operators the chance to exchange information on due diligence. What are the roadblocks? What are the solutions and best practices?

1.3 – Women’s Empowerment: From the C-Suite to the Factory Floor – Challenges and Opportunities

amfori has signed the UN Women/UNGC Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs). We are reconfirming our commitment to supporting businesses to champion women’s empowerment in global supply chains. These principles aim for comprehensive women’s empowerment in all areas: corporate leadership, the workplace, education and training, supply chains and the community.
While sourcing countries have been a key area for progress on female workers’ empowerment, there is a need to make sure that a “gender lens” is applied consistently, at headquarters and throughout the supply chain. This session will present challenges encountered and lessons learnt through the WEPs. We will explore how amfori and its members can advance women’s empowerment and support female workers at all levels.

1.4 – Responsible Recruitment and Production

Responsible recruitment is a key component of amfori’s social compliance work. We offer a dedicated module on this subject on amfori BSCI under the scope of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 8, 12 and 17. Responsible recruitment is not only for the protection of workers’ rights but also to ensure that practices are carried out ethically throughout all supply chains. This includes the protection of vulnerable migrant workers, workforce integration and the possibility of remediation.
This session will be an opportunity to discuss the latest and upcoming trends affecting migration patterns. Companies need to take migration patterns into account to ensure that vulnerable migrants are not exploited. This is best done by working collaboratively with local bodies, agencies and NGOs. The session will also reflect on remediation mechanisms and how to continuously improve them.

1.5 – Trade Preferences With Purpose

Free trade does not mean a free-for-all. To get preferential duty levels when trading with the EU, third countries need to agree to certain conditions. Due to these conditions, sustainable development requirements are embedded into free trade agreements. Commitments to core ILO conventions and UN declarations are part of the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP).

These instruments can generate extra income for third countries and can raise those countries out of poverty. At the same time, they improve social and environmental performance. This session is an excellent opportunity to learn more about amfori Advocacy’s work and participate in a discussion on socially conscious trade preferences.

Consumers are increasingly conscious of what they buy, particularly when it comes to food and drinks. Recent years have seen a huge increase in the demand for sustainable wine. However, for retailers, the social and environmental risks and opportunities of this sector are unclear. Find out how you can mitigate risks, take advantage of the opportunities and be a part of the change by joining our Sustainable Wine Program.

Companies are under growing pressure to operate sustainably and deliver benefits to communities and the environment. At the same time, they are facing unprecedented threats. In a world that is closing and fragmenting, they are being asked to promote an open society and universal values.
This decade will be critical to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. It will also be an important period for companies to reflect on how they do business and to rethink their role in society. Whether businesses have the motivation and the ability to make changes will depend partly on the environment in which they operate. This includes countries’ governance, political environment, financial markets and stakeholders’ expectations.

This session will focus on the experience of companies who have taken a new path. It will look at what needs to change in business, market mechanisms and society to enable companies to do what is necessary in the 21st century.

2.1 – Lessons Learned from Existing Responsible Business Conduct Due Diligence Laws: What Is Working and What Is Not?

France’s Duty of Vigilance Law was the first national legislation in the EU that created an obligation for large companies to formulate, publish and enforce an adequate and effectively implemented plan to ensure the respect of human rights and the environmental protection in their supply chains. A study published by the Commission in February seems to suggest that any upcoming legislation will be based on the French model. What challenges would Member States and their businesses encounter if a similar law were to be applied throughout the EU? What would an effective, workable and pragmatic EU-wide legislation look like? This panel discussion aims to investigate the aftermaths of the French legislation from the point of view of different stakeholders.

2.2 – Sourcing Responsibly in an Evolving Landscape

Modern sourcing best practices have been evolving from responsibility to sustainability focused. The conventional, buyer-driven “compliance approach” has been changing. Emerging governmental requirements in supply chain risk due diligence have shaped new definitions of sustainable sourcing and production. Supply chain actors in sourcing countries have been taking a more proactive role in driving sustainable trade.
This session will look into the trends, challenges and opportunities of strategic sourcing planning. We’ll investigate how businesses can balance maintaining mature sourcing markets with exploring new regions or sectors with high risks. Insightful business case studies from APAC will be shared.

2.3 – From Farm to Fork: Transparency Recipes from the Food Sector

Transparency in the food production and distribution chain is of paramount importance. This is not only for health and safety reasons but also in response to a growing demand for information from consumers. Drawing on the experiences of amfori BSCI users, this session will discuss ways of addressing transparency in the food sector and how these could inspire other sectors.

2.4 – Hidden and Vulnerable: Promoting Decent Working Conditions for Home-Based Workers

In regions such as South Asia, home-based workers are a significant part of the workforce in labour-intensive sectors. They generally work in the informal sector and most are women. They represent one of the most vulnerable groups of workers in the supply chain.

This session will outline the specific challenges of suppliers who manage home-based workers. We will discuss how businesses can work with suppliers and civil society to help protect the rights of home-based workers. The sessions will include case studies from amfori members and partners.

2.5 – Is Sustainable Fashion a Contradiction in Terms: What Can Businesses Practically Do to Make a Real Difference?

Over the last few years, the fashion industry has come under increasingly scrutiny for its climate impact. Recognising the importance of the issue for our members in the textile and garment sector, at the end of 2019 amfori signed the UNFCCC Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. We aim to engage with like-minded businesses and organisations and influence the global policy landscape. As part of this push, we are strengthening our communication around the key assets offered by our BEPI platform: training, consultancy service and a carbon calculator.
This session will offer an overview of the current situation, then discuss new strategies for the fashion industry, including circular economy approaches. It will explore how tools such as amfori BEPI and international multi-stakeholder coalitions like the Fashion Charter can enable companies to drive environmental improvements in their supply chain.

2.6 – Disclosing With Confidence: How to Handle Supply Chain Transparency

Being transparent is a way for companies to build trust with their stakeholders and is an important tool in the journey towards increased sustainability. The trend is growing. What started in a few key sectors is now expanding to touch upon all industries. It’s moving from the organisational level to the supply chain and demands on the type of information and level of detail is growing.
Supply chain transparency is seen as a powerful tool for promoting accountability and ensuring workers’ rights in the supply chain. Nevertheless, many companies are confronted with challenges in getting accurate data from the supply chain, knowing how to communicate and protecting potentially confidential business information. In this session, we will explore these challenges and hear from experts on how companies can meet increasing demands for transparency and disclose with confidence

2.1 – Lessons Learned from Existing Responsible Business Conduct Due Diligence Laws: What Is Working and What Is Not?

France’s Duty of Vigilance Law was the first national legislation in the EU that created an obligation for large companies to formulate, publish and enforce an adequate and effectively implemented plan to ensure the respect of human rights and the environmental protection in their supply chains. A study published by the Commission in February seems to suggest that any upcoming legislation will be based on the French model. What challenges would Member States and their businesses encounter if a similar law were to be applied throughout the EU? What would an effective, workable and pragmatic EU-wide legislation look like? This panel discussion aims to investigate the aftermaths of the French legislation from the point of view of different stakeholders.

2.2 – Sourcing Responsibly in an Evolving Landscape

Modern sourcing best practices have been evolving from responsibility to sustainability focused. The conventional, buyer-driven “compliance approach” has been changing. Emerging governmental requirements in supply chain risk due diligence have shaped new definitions of sustainable sourcing and production. Supply chain actors in sourcing countries have been taking a more proactive role in driving sustainable trade.
This session will look into the trends, challenges and opportunities of strategic sourcing planning. We’ll investigate how businesses can balance maintaining mature sourcing markets with exploring new regions or sectors with high risks. Insightful business case studies from APAC will be shared.

2.3 – From Farm to Fork: Transparency Recipes from the Food Sector

Transparency in the food production and distribution chain is of paramount importance. This is not only for health and safety reasons but also in response to a growing demand for information from consumers. Drawing on the experiences of amfori BSCI users, this session will discuss ways of addressing transparency in the food sector and how these could inspire other sectors.

2.4 – Hidden and Vulnerable: Promoting Decent Working Conditions for Home-Based Workers

In regions such as South Asia, home-based workers are a significant part of the workforce in labour-intensive sectors. They generally work in the informal sector and most are women. They represent one of the most vulnerable groups of workers in the supply chain.

This session will outline the specific challenges of suppliers who manage home-based workers. We will discuss how businesses can work with suppliers and civil society to help protect the rights of home-based workers. The sessions will include case studies from amfori members and partners.

2.5 – Is Sustainable Fashion a Contradiction in Terms: What Can Businesses Practically Do to Make a Real Difference?

Over the last few years, the fashion industry has come under increasingly scrutiny for its climate impact. Recognising the importance of the issue for our members in the textile and garment sector, at the end of 2019 amfori signed the UNFCCC Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action. We aim to engage with like-minded businesses and organisations and influence the global policy landscape. As part of this push, we are strengthening our communication around the key assets offered by our BEPI platform: training, consultancy service and a carbon calculator.
This session will offer an overview of the current situation, then discuss new strategies for the fashion industry, including circular economy approaches. It will explore how tools such as amfori BEPI and international multi-stakeholder coalitions like the Fashion Charter can enable companies to drive environmental improvements in their supply chain.

2.6 – Disclosing With Confidence: How to Handle Supply Chain Transparency

Being transparent is a way for companies to build trust with their stakeholders and is an important tool in the journey towards increased sustainability. The trend is growing. What started in a few key sectors is now expanding to touch upon all industries. It’s moving from the organisational level to the supply chain and demands on the type of information and level of detail is growing.
Supply chain transparency is seen as a powerful tool for promoting accountability and ensuring workers’ rights in the supply chain. Nevertheless, many companies are confronted with challenges in getting accurate data from the supply chain, knowing how to communicate and protecting potentially confidential business information. In this session, we will explore these challenges and hear from experts on how companies can meet increasing demands for transparency and disclose with confidence

The Fridays for Future movement has shown that a new wave of young climate activists is ready to hold world leaders to account, calling on them to fulfill their responsibility to leave a healthy planet for future generations. Increasingly, the activists have also been turning their attention (rightfully) to business. They have been able to draw on the fact that young consumers are one of the driving forces behind the increasing demand for ethical sourcing and production.

How should businesses respond? How can amfori work with these important new stakeholders and leverage their messages? How do we empower responsible consumers? The 2020 Unleash Opportunity will conclude by looking to the future and inspiring members to make the changes we need to get there.