Foreign Trade Association Annual Report 2015-16

Trade plays a major role in economic growth, innovation, investment and jobs, lifting millions of people out of poverty.

Following various Foreign Trade Association (FTA) lobbying efforts through its International Trade Policy (ITP) service, 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.

Trade can only lead to prosperity for all if it is combined with responsible labour and environmental standards.

With this in mind, international sustainability standards are needed such as those provided through the Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI) and the Business Environmental Performance Initiative (BEPI).

A significant development in 2015 was the consolidation of BSCI and BEPI under the holistic service ‘FTA Sustainability’.

While our International Trade Policy department ensures that FTA succeeds in promoting a liberal, yet sustainable, framework for trade, FTA Sustainability has a clear objective to develop synergies between the initiatives towards enhanced sustainable supply chain management.

FTA Sustainability has undergone a rapid transition over the past year. The year 2016 welcomed 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.

Cooperation being a key value of the association, the announced merger between BSCI and the French social compliance initiative, Initiative Clause Sociale (ICS) was well received. 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. BEPI also 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.

A final key milestone for all FTA members was the successful launch of the FTA Academy in 2016.

This powerful platform supports all FTA members’ understanding of trade challenges and the development of sustainable supply chains.