Eleven companies are teaming up to see how they can work with thousands of their suppliers to curb greenhouse gas emissions, an environmental consultancy said on Sunday. The companies in the program, called the Supply Chain Leadership Collaboration, include giants in their sectors like Cadbury Schweppes, Dell, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble and Tesco.

The venture is being coordinated by the Carbon Disclosure Project, a British nonprofit organization that helps companies and investors to cooperate in the battle against climate change. “Multinationals are seeking to understand where the emissions are lying in their supply chain and what risks and opportunities from climate change will be presented,” Paul Simpson, chief operating officer for CDP, said.

In the pilot phase, until the end of March 2008, each company participating in the program has selected 50 suppliers to work with, the group said. The Carbon Disclosure Project will publish a report after the first phase, recommending a standardized approach to emissions cuts. A second phase, starting in May, will include up to 2,000 suppliers associated with each participating company.

(New York Times, Reuters, 21/01/2008)