The world’s 100 most significant timber and pulp companies score just 22.6 per cent, on average, when assessed across 175 environmental, social, and governance indicators, according to a study by the Sustainability Policy Transparency Toolkit (SPOTT) — a corporate transparency initiative launched in 2014 by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). SPOTT publishes annual assessments for the 100 most significant companies trading in a particular forest commodity, such as timber, rubber, and palm oil. Each company’s policies are scored according to 175 environmental, social, and governance indicators. Companies assessed received an average score across all indicators of 22.6 per cent up 2.2 per cent from 2019, despite more stringent criteria this year. Companies met an average of just 26.7 per cent of indicators in the deforestation and biodiversity category, but one criterion commitment to zero conversion of natural forests was achieved by 56 per cent of firms. “Reports like this one help to increase the accountability of the most influential companies and increase the pressure on them to improve their sustainability policies and practices,” said Sarah Rogerson, lead researcher on Global Canopy’s Forest 500 project, who was not involved in the report.

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