SMP works to mobilise action and support from producers of key commodities, suppliers, investors and regulators in the transition towards a sustainable future. Among the areas we work on are Sustainable Palm Oil, Responsible Forestry (timber, pulp and paper, and rubber), No Plastic in Nature by 2030 and Sustainable Finance. These areas of focus have the largest impact on deforestation, emission of greenhouse gases, and have a critical impact on the livelihoods of millions of people.

The SMP team works with key commodity producers, government agencies, financial and investment institutions, smallholders, certification agencies and consumers to improve the production of these commodities.

Responsible or sustainable palm oil should be produced without causing deforestation, environmental degradation, or the harming of wildlife. It should also be produced in a manner which treats workers fairly, respects the rights of local communities and indigenous people, and incentivises and empowers producers including smallholder farmers with the means to adopt more responsible production practices as a part of sustainable livelihoods.

Where palm oil is produced, the wellbeing of people, wildlife, and habitats should be protected and enhanced at a landscape level, and negative impacts should be mitigated and not displaced elsewhere.

Responsible forestry protects vulnerable forests from illegal logging and destructive logging practices, such as clear-cutting, by using environmentally sound, socially just and economically viable principles and tools.

WWF works with government bodies, businesses, and various stakeholders to advance responsible forestry practices, including sustainable forest management, responsible sourcing of forestry products (timber, pulp and paper, and rubber), and other innovative solutions to the threats that our forests are facing.

Plastic waste is choking our planet – polluting the air, water, and soil. As this crisis spreads to every corner of the globe, WWF is leading the charge to help reimagine how we source, design, dispose of, and reuse plastic materials communities most depend upon. While plastic can help make our hospitals safer, our food last longer, and our packages more efficient to ship, it has no place in nature.

Every day, plastic is flowing into our natural environment at an unprecedented rate. It’s time to turn off the tap, together. WWF is uniting our global network of industry leaders, consumers, and policymakers to transform our systems, so the plastics we discard become plastics we use again.

Sustainable finance is the link between financial systems and ecosystems, as the global finance system powers the economic activities that affect our planet. WWF works with regulatory authorities and financial institutions to facilitate the integration of ESG policies, practices and processes in the financial sector.

Given the important role of finance as a credit and investment intermediation in the real economy, financial institutions can shape the sustainability adoption by the corporate sector at all levels. This will help drive the industry players towards a sustainable industry.

We do not inherit the Earth, but borrow it from our children. As such, what we do now has a profound effect on the future generation. Undoubtedly, commercial companies are the leading users of natural resources. However, that does not absolve consumers of the responsibility and accountability of consuming sustainably.

We, as consumers, have the voice to change how companies conduct their business practices by demanding them to be more responsible and environmentally friendly.