International Trade & Sustainable Supply Chains

The Foreign Trade Association (FTA) has published its 2015-2016 Annual Report.

This publication outlines the association’s successful activities and collaborative efforts focused on advocating an international trade framework that promotes sustainable business practices along global supply chains.

Throughout the year, the association increased its membership from 1,500 to more than 1,800 members in May 2016.

This continued growth shows companies’ commitment towards more sustainable trade and demonstrates their trust in FTA as the key association to prepare their businesses for the challenges of the future.

As part of the association’s major achievements in 2015, FTA met one of its key advocacy objectives in October 2015 when the European Commission announced its long-term trade policy strategy.

Following various lobbying efforts, FTA welcomed the strategy’s strong focus on sustainability, its increased transparency in decision making and its ambitious negotiation programme.

Moreover, during 2015 FTA united its sustainability initiatives - the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) and Business Environmental Performance Initiative (BEPI) – under one unique service, ‘FTA Sustainability’, in order to increase synergies towards a more holistic approach to sustainable supply chain management.

Several key highlights of the association include:

• FTA’s influence on the EU’s long-term strategy: Following various FTA lobbying efforts, in October 2015, it welcomed the EU’s long-term trade policy strategy presented by Trade Commissioner Malmström. Throughout this strategy FTA was pleased to see a strong focus on sustainability, more transparent decision making and an ambitious negotiation programme.
• Full Implementation of BSCI 2.0: The year 2016 saw the full implementation of BSCI 2.0 audits in participants’ supply chains. Following a soft launch in 2015, many tools were provided and efforts made to prepare BSCI participants and their producers for the full application of this system.
• Strengthened cooperation: Merger with ICS: Becoming official on 1 January 2017, the two initiatives will unite their efforts towards true implementation of sustainable supply chains based on the values of transparency and responsibility. Partnership with ZDHC: BEPI strengthened ties with the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC), with which it aims to leverage efforts to address challenges around chemical management in the supply chain.
• Launch of the FTA Academy: This powerful platform supports all FTA members’ understanding of trade challenges and the development of sustainable supply chains through various learning and training programmes.