ICC BD pushes SMEs, cooperatives to align with global deforestation rules
Business Report :
Businesses in Bangladesh particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), exporters, and cooperatives must urgently align their operations with international environmental requirements to remain competitive in global markets, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman has warned.
Speaking at the inauguration of a global webinar held on Wednesday, titled “Get Ready for EUDR: Live Demo of the Geolocation & Risk Assessment Tool,” jointly organised by the ICC headquarters and the International Trade Centre (ITC), Mr Rahman said supply chain transparency and sustainability have become non-negotiable.
“Our SMEs, cooperatives, exporters, and small producers must now demonstrate that their supply chains are deforestation-free, traceable, and aligned with global sustainability standards,” he said, emphasising that compliance with initiatives such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) is “no longer a future concern… it is an urgent priority.”
New digital gateway to support global compliance
During the event, the ICC and ITC officially launched the Deforestation-Free Trade Gateway (DFTG) a new online platform offering resources and tools for producers, cooperatives, and business support organisations (BSOs) to ensure EUDR compliance. The platform allows seamless data sharing with global buyers, supports risk assessments, and enhances traceability across supply chains.
For BSOs, the gateway helps bridge data gaps, assess deforestation risks, and share verified information with trade partners supporting exporters in maintaining access to sustainability-driven markets.
Turning point for global trade
Speakers stressed that the EUDR represents a major shift in international trade, combining environmental responsibility with digital traceability. The regulation offers a unified platform for geolocation-based compliance, verification, and risk assessment-critical to protecting smallholders and exporters from being left out of global value chains.
Mr Rahman highlighted that the ITC’s pilot initiatives reflect “collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility” across countries in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. He added that the DFTG will help ICC Bangladesh and its members strengthen supply chain transparency, bridge data gaps, and safeguard export opportunities.
Expert insights and live demonstration The webinar was moderated by Sebastian Ferrari, network lead of the ICC Agri-Food Initiative.
A live demonstration of the DFTG was conducted by Mathieu Lamolle, senior adviser at ITC Green and Inclusive Value Chains, who walked participants through account setup, company profiling, data management, compliance declarations, risk analysis, and access permissions.
Akshata Limaye, associate programme officer at ITC, introduced the Standards Map, the world’s largest public database of voluntary sustainability standards for governments, SMEs, and multinational companies.
Ataur Rahman, secretary general of ICC Bangladesh, called for in-person demonstrations in Bangladesh to help local businesses fully understand and benefit from the platform.