TruStone Initiative to boost sustainable natural stone production on Flemish market
Despite the corona pandemic, the Dutch and Flemish companies who are affiliated with the TruStone Initiative and specialise in the production of natural stone are gaining more and more insights into the origin of their materials. That's according to the latest annual report.
“In general, the member companies are well on their way with the implementation of the international guidelines on corporate social responsibility,” says Pieter van der Gaag, independent chairman of the TruStone Initiative. “Some companies are taking big steps, for others this turns out to be more complicated in practice. Unfortunately, understanding of supply chain conditions has seen limited growth in the past year as businesses have been unable to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is therefore important to expand this understanding by reaching out to local organizations and workers' representatives through the civil society organizations participating in TruStone. It will also remain important in the coming years to increase the market share in the covenant in the Netherlands and Flanders.”
Sustainability booster
The Pilot Program International Social Conditions (ISV) Natural Stone was completed during the year under review. The program lasted four years and focused on promoting the application of international labor standards, such as combating forced labour, slavery, child labor and discrimination. The final report shows that governments that apply ISV in their procurement contribute to combating such abuses in the natural stone chain. They can thus play a stimulating role in making the natural stone sector more sustainable.
The TruStone Initiative is an international CSR covenant for the natural stone sector and will run from the end of 2019 to the end of 2024. It works together with Dutch and Flemish companies, industry associations, the Dutch and Flemish government, trade unions and NGOs with the aim of promoting international Corporate Social Responsibility.
(AS)
Production Supervisor John Brown hand finishes a stone in the workshop - © ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP