PEFC Collaboration Program with Itochu’s Project TREE

23 November 2022 News

SGEC/PEFC and Itochu have come together to explore collaboration opportunities to further support Project TREE's activities. Aligned with common shared values on UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Project TREE’s main goal is to advance livelihood of natural rubber smallholder communities. Japan’s support towards Southeast Asia’s rubber smallholders is most commendable and noteworthy to alleviate poverty in the region.  

PROJECT TREE has developed a proprietary traceability system that tracks and inspects the supply chain with the help of blockchain technology. The goal of this block chained enabled software was developed to prevent natural rubber from conservation areas, entering rubber supply chain systems.

Due to increased in demand of natural rubber, locals in Indonesia have been known to illegally remove land in order to make room for new rubber tree plantings. This has been a persistent issue with the production of natural rubber throughout its history. The clearing of land is not only a significant problem, but it has also frequently produced unintended consequences. 

Together with local communities, the PROJECT TREE team is providing financial incentives and educational opportunities with the goal of increasing crop yields on smallholder plantations already exist. This will enable rubber farmers to increase productivity quickly and assist in putting a stop to the loss of biodiversity. Through the implementation of this Project TREE, ITOCHU intends to strengthen its natural rubber value chain, with the ultimate goal of making a contribution to the continued viability of the natural rubber industry as a whole.

CTC / Junji Hirooka, Managing Executive Officer & COO, Distribution Group & COO, Global Business Group "ITOCHU Techno-Solutions Corporation (CTC) has identified material issues involving three SDG-related challenges and that have led us to act in accordance with our corporate mission statement; “Leveraging IT’s potential to change the future for the Global Good.” PROJECT TREE is a project which is perfectly aligned with one of our Group’s tenets "Provide trusted IT services”, and we will leverage advanced technology to contribute to sustainability throughout the value chain. ” https://www.itochu.co.jp/en/news/press/2021/211201.html