Democratizing Access to Supply Chain Research

To respond to the urgent need for clear and accessible supply chain tracing that leads to accountability for some of the most polluting industries across the globe, SRG and the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation are fast-tracking development of a game-changing graph database coupled with an automated platform that can trace commodities from their source all the way to their destination, such as consumers or businesses.

The project will be dedicated to tracing commodity flows from “source” (like mining, drilling, or industrial agriculture) to “destination” (like microchips, clothing made with synthetic fibers, or food products). In the project, SRG will build on our decades of experience doing supply chain research including our Nowhere to Hide report linking fashion to deforestation in Amazonia, and Fracking for Plastics research on the petrochemical supply chains behind single-use plastics. SRG also developed machine learning expertise through projects such as our Amazon Banks Database on bank financing for oil and gas in Amazonia, which will also be integral to this new supply chain database project.

Many of the existing research tools offer helpful glimpses into the particulars of supply chains. And we are excited to work with and learn from partner organizations and allies as we embark on scaling up research across multiple commodity supply chains. This project will create a new platform that will include comprehensive and robust information about complete commodity supply chains and we will be looking for ways of empowering campaigners and researchers to support the work and impact of the broader climate movement.

“Protecting our planet requires tools that reveal the true cost of environmental harm and empower communities to act. When we bring credible data to the surface, we hold institutions accountable and create the conditions for meaningful change across entire supply chains. Our partnership with Stand.earth is building this foundation by using AI to strengthen cross-sector research and advocacy around deforestation to support a more sustainable future for ecosystems around the world.” – Nick Cain, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation.

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If you would like to know more about SRG’s work or explore a potential project, please email Anne at anne@stand.earth.