Soy is the most produced oilseed in the world. Soy is coveted for its nutritional and functional properties. This lipid and protein-rich seed is mainly cultivated for animal feed, as 85% of global soy production is consumed by livestock. It is also used in many sectors, such as food, biofuel, and industrial applications.
To meet global demand, particularly from China, the USA and Europe, soy production has exploded over the past 60 years. The global area of soy production doubled between 2000 and 2019, with Brazil, Argentina and the USA representing almost 80% of soy production worldwide.
This rapid expansion has been putting pressure on the environment and communities, especially in South America. To produce soy, land is being converted from natural ecosystems such as forests, savannahs and grasslands. There are numerous consequences of carbon emissions, rain cycles, droughts, and loss of biodiversity.
Soy farming has also been linked to land grabbing and the displacement of populations.
Our strategic ambition is to use the power of the supply chain to help transform the soy industry to become Nature and People Positive.
We envision a soy industry that protects human rights, the resilience of farmers and communities, the sustainability of ecosystems and forests, and the regeneration of the soils through the transformation of cultivation practices.
For this purpose, Earthworm relies on its expertise in three work streams:
With a strong international presence, both in soy-producing countries (US, Brazil) and in consuming countries (Europe), Earthworm covers global supply chains. We also collaborate with NGOs, public authorities, academic experts, and investors to ensure we have the impact we want.
Earthworm engages with our partners in long-term projects to drive impact in supply chains and landscapes. Our vision is to deploy open-source, industry-wide, credible, and practical approaches for soy sustainability. We offer support to companies to build Nature and People Positive supply chains.
Learn more: Lidl is committed to a “zero deforestation and conversion” soy supply.
To create a consistent European market demand for sustainable soy, we coordinate the French Soy Manifesto, a collective commitment to ensure soy supplies are not linked to deforestation or conversion of natural ecosystems.
Our work to promote the Manifesto amongst the largest European soy importers has led to adopting similar initiatives in the Netherlands and the UK.