Sustainability of supply chains

Identifying opportunities to improve the environmental and social impacts of resource use and supply chains.

Our research seeks to identify and evaluate strategies to improve the environmental and social impacts along supply chains, from primary resource extraction to end-of-life.

Our projects have evaluated impacts including greenhouse gas emissions, pollution, human rights, employment and safe working conditions in sectors including renewable energy technologies, textiles and agriculture.

We do this through sustainability evaluations, policy and regulatory analysis, stakeholder engagement and the development of strategies, tools and frameworks. We also have experience in the evaluation of sustainability standards and certification schemes.

A close-up photo of a rack of clothes on hangers

PROJECT | 2021-2022

Wellbeing wardrobe

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) commissioned a team from ISF, Erasmus University Rotterdam and Lund University to develop the concept of a 'Wellbeing Wardrobe' – a fashion and textiles industry that is oriented towards a Wellbeing Economy

Textile, Industry, India - A Factory Worker Pushing to the Fabric Dyeing Machine

PROJECT | 2019-2022

Decent work and environmental sustainability of textile and garment supply chains in Asia

Enhancing the environmental sustainability of key actors in the textile and garment sectors.

PROJECT | 2019-2020

Sustainability performance assessment for palm oil producers

ISF designed an evaluation tool to measure the environmental impact of palm oil production, and applied it to nine operations in order to guide sustainable investment.

Lithium mining - Salinas Grandes Salt desert in the Jujuy, Argentina

PROJECT | 2019

Responsible minerals sourcing for renewable energy

New research exposes extent of mineral demand for renewable energy technologies

PROJECT | 2020

Battery materials: responsible sourcing and certification

Pathways to assess the social and environmental impacts of Australia's battery production and to inform a more sustainable supply chain.

PROJECT | 2020

Environmentally responsible trade in waste plastics

Understanding how trading plastics for recycling affects ocean pollution, and finding ways to lessen the problem.

Man and boy cleaning bench with spray bottle

PROJECT | 2018-2019

Ecosystem impacts of phosphorus and surfactants in consumer products

Investigating the environmental impact of household products shows where improvements can be made.

IMPACT STORY

ISF research on packaging is something out of the box

ISF research played a major role in influencing government policy and strategy regarding waste management and resource recovery for packaging materials.

Woman in a shop looking at washing liquids

PROJECT | 2017-2018

Chemical management for consumer products

This report addresses the need for an improved understanding of best and worst practices in the use and management of potentially hazardous chemicals in consumer products.

It characterises the industry landscape and identifies the main areas for improvement in the management of hazardous chemicals by companies across core segments of the consumer product market internationally. The study looked at companies that supply personal care products (cosmetics, oral care, hair care, sunscreens, soaps and skin creams); home care products (laundry, cleaning and air fresheners); pesticides and insecticides (for home use only); paints (for home use); adhesives and sealants (for home use); ingredients (fragrances).

In addition to providing insights into the state of industry awareness and action, the report presents an evaluation framework for investigating not only if companies are using potentially hazardous chemicals, but also the mechanisms they have in place to respond to new knowledge about hazardous chemicals, the extent to which they employ a precautionary approach, the transparency of information, and their engagement with and awareness of hazardous chemical management along the entire supply chain. The report concludes by offering steps forward for government and industry to improve the management of hazardous chemicals along the supply chain and recognise its significance as a core aspect of sustainable and responsible business.

Partner: Ascend Waste and Environment Pty Ltd

Researchers: Damien Giurco, Rachael Wakefield-Rann

RESEARCH OUTPUTS

Chemical management for consumer products (2020) (Report)

PROJECT | 2016-2017

Sustainability evaluation of energy storage technologies

The Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA) commissioned ISF to explore the transformative role that energy storage may play in Australia’s energy systems, identifying future economic opportunities and challenges, and describing the current state of and future trends in energy storage technologies.

This project involved a number of phases, the first of which was analysing and presenting a broad range of available and emerging energy storage technologies and their diverse applications in practice. The second phase investigated the economic, social and environmental challenges of significant storage uptake in Australia, including social drivers and barriers, and implications for policy and regulation.

Client: Australian Council of Learned Academies (ACOLA)

Researchers: Elsa Dominish, Nick Florin

Someone placing plastic bottle in special bin

IMPACT STORY

NSW container deposit legislation a crushing story

A major research report produced in 2000 by ISF’s Professor Stuart White played a major role in the NSW Government’s decision to finally introduce container deposit legislation in 2017, and helped to enshrine the concept of producer stewardship in state legislation.