New JBS director wants dialogue with campaign groups
05/10/2012
Marcio Nappo had been working since 2009 as head of the environmental responsibility department of trading group Archer Daniels Midland; his previous experience was in the sugar and vegetable oil sectors.
Commentators in Brazil have said that, in his new role, he will have one clear mandate: to ring-fence the JBS supply chain and keep out of it any cattle or hide suppliers who have infringed environmental or labour rights legislation. The group currently sources cattle for its packing plants from 22,000 farms, many of them in sensitive, remote areas. JBS has come into conflict with campaign groups over the track-record of some of its suppliers, who have faced allegations of carrying out illegal deforestation in Amazon regions and of infringing the rights of indigenous people there.
Mr Nappo said on taking up the position that he would make it a priority to identify technology providers who are able to supply up-to-date mapping systems at prices livestock farmers can afford. The next step will be to make it compulsory for all JBS suppliers to operate an electronic mapping system to provide guarantees that each farm is infringement-free. He said there were “systemic barriers” in place preventing existing mapping systems from capturing all the necessary data because, in some areas, existing maps fail to capture the exact boundaries of lands reserved for indigenous peoples and areas where deforestation is forbidden.
He called on major packer groups to share the geographical data they have collected and said he hoped to build a constructive dialogue with campaign groups. He said: “The more dialogue and transparency we have, the more we will be able to align our aims. Campaign groups want immediate action, that’s their role. But it takes time for the industry to understand what problems and operational barriers we face.”
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