Building resilient, inclusive supply chains with sustainability systems: insights from palm oil, cocoa and soy
As expectations for deforestation- and conversion-free (DCF) supply chains rise, companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate legal, deforestation-free, and responsible sourcing. Evolving regulations, such as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), require stronger due diligence and better data – but also create opportunities to build more resilient and inclusive supply chains.
Credible sustainability systems can be key partners in this transition. With decades of on-the-ground experience, trusted frameworks, and long-standing relationships across value chains, they offer companies practical tools and support to meet DCF commitments while driving meaningful environmental and social impacts beyond regulatory requirements.
ISEAL's three-part case study series explores how systems in palm oil, cocoa, and soy are putting this into practice – adapting to help companies meet compliance obligations while also strengthening inclusion, resilience, and sector-wide progress.
Palm oil
Palm oil supply chains are complex and highly fragmented, with smallholders producing 35-40 percent of global supply. This case study highlights how the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) helps companies align with regulations like the EUDR while supporting more inclusive supply chains.
Tools such as prisma, RSPO’s traceability platform, are being developed to gather key data on supply locations, land-use change, and audit results – helping companies meet their due diligence obligations.
RSPO’s standards also strengthen legal production, labour rights, and engagement with Indigenous communities, helping ensure that smallholders remain part of sustainable, DCF supply chains.
For more information, read the palm oil case study.
Cocoa
Cocoa is largely produced by smallholders, which makes traceability and legality verification challenging. This case study shows how the Rainforest Alliance and Fairtrade International help companies with the data, geolocation information, and assurance required to demonstrate legal and deforestation-free cocoa.
Both systems also work closely with farmers and cooperatives to build capacity, improve farm mapping, and support continued inclusion under tighter regulatory expectations.
By tackling root causes of deforestation through landscape-level approaches and income-focused interventions, producers are better equipped to adopt climate-resilient practices that reduce pressure on forests.
For more information, read the cocoa case study.
Soy
Soy moves through long, complex supply chains and is often hidden in processed goods and animal products, making its origins difficult to trace. This case study highlights how the Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS) and the ProTerra Foundation help companies meet emerging DCF expectations by supporting their traceability, legality and verification needs.
Both systems offer farm-level assurance and provide pathways – such as RTRS group certification and ProTerra’s smallholder interpretation – that help smaller producers build capacity and remain included as data and compliance requirements grow.
For more information, read the soy case study.
With EUDR implementation fast approaching, many companies are still determining what full compliance will mean for their operations. Evolving guidance, complex supply chains, and uneven data availability make the regulatory landscape challenging to navigate.
In this context, credible voluntary sustainability systems can be a reliable partner, continually updating tools and standards to reflect new requirements and helping companies move forward with confidence.
Through strong verification, technical support, and on-the-ground engagement with producers, these systems help companies meet due diligence obligations and strengthen supply chain resilience. They also promote inclusion, support farmers, and protect forests – helping to future-proof supply chains for shifting global expectations.