12 February 2010

Rathbone Greenbank Investments was delighted to join representatives of the corporate and financial sectors at the launch of the first Annual Review of the Forest Footprint Disclosure (FFD) project. Forests (and rainforests in particular) provide a range of eco-system services, as well as playing a vital role in efforts to reduce global CO2 emissions. The FFD is a UK government-supported initiative created to help investors and consumers identify how an organisation’s activities and supply chains contribute to deforestation, and link this 'forest footprint' to their value.

The FFD focuses on those organisations that have a significant exposure to one or more key commodities linked to deforestation: timber, soy, beef, palm oil and biofuels. The Review analyses the policies and risk controls put in place by 35 companies and identifies a best performer in each of ten business sectors. In addition, it identifies those companies which did not respond to the FFD’s disclosure request and those which refused to disclose.

The event ended with a reminder that continued pressure from both investors and consumers is essential in order to raise awareness of the issues surrounding an organisation’s forest footprint.

Rathbone Greenbank Investments is a founding signatory to the Forest Footprint Disclosure Project and looks forward to greater participation from organisations in the second disclosure request later this year.