๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐๐-๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐๐ฟ๐๐น๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ฎ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป๐ฎ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐๐ป๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐บ ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐บ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ด๐ถ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐ผ๐บ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฒ?
That was the question at the heart of the conversation when Neju George Abraham, CEO, Industree Foundation, joined the inaugural plenary on The Future of Responsible Forest-Based Value Chains at the FSC Responsible Business Forum 2026 in Mumbai.
As global sustainability regulations and responsible sourcing frameworks evolve, the conversation must move beyond traceability and compliance. The future of responsible sourcing lies in building value chains that are regenerative, commercially viable, and create meaningful economic opportunities for rural communities.
Sharing Industree Foundationโs experience through the DAY-NRLM Bamboo Subsector Initiative, Neju highlighted what becomes possible when women are placed at the centre of climate-resilient rural economies:
- 100,000 women farmers are going to plant 6 million bamboo saplings this season across 8 states, 44 districts, and 180 blocks
- Indiaโs first FSCยฎ certification for privately owned bamboo plantations, covering 6,671 women farmers across 1,112 hectares in Maharashtra and Karnataka
- Women-owned producer collectives through GreenKraft supplied to global markets across 50+ countries, including IKEA, H&M Home, Crate & Barrel, and West Elm
- At scale, this model has the potential to generate approximately USD 1.29 billion in annual income for 1 million women farmers
- An estimated 34 million tCOโe can be sequestered annually, creating long-term climate and carbon market opportunities for rural communities
The message was clear: responsible sourcing cannot be limited to tracking products. It must also create value for the people and landscapes that make those products possible.
How can businesses, policymakers, certification systems, and investors work together to ensure that responsible sourcing delivers both environmental stewardship and inclusive economic growth?
