Embedding sustainability and equity in forest-risk commodity value chains

A range of recent outputs from NbSI collaborations examine sustainability, equity, and power dynamics in forest-risk commodity value chains. June 17, 2025

NbSI’s Will Thompson has recently co-authored three papers examining sustainability, equity, and power dynamics in forest-risk commodity value chains.

The first paper, led by Thomas Addoah of the University of Cambridge’s Conservation and Development Lab, Is the Implementation of Cocoa Companies’ Forest Policies on Track to Effectively and Equitably Address Deforestation in West Africa?, evaluates how corporate commitments are translating into tangible outcomes on the ground.

In Equity in Unilateral Value Chain Policies: A Monitoring Framework for the EUDR and Beyond, led by Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute’s Professor Connie McDermott, proposes a framework for assessing the equity of deforestation regulations such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).

The third paper, led by University of Victoria’s Professor Sophia Carodenuto, Formalization Through Contracts: Implications for Power in Smallholder Cocoa Supply Chains, explores how contract-based formalization affects the balance of power between companies and farmers.

Together, these publications contribute vital insights into the challenges of creating just and sustainable value chains for forest-risk commodities.