Three questions for:
Charlotte Mallet, UEBT Sourcing Risk Expert
You have been with UEBT since 2019. How did you come to work with the organisation?
I joined UEBT to support the communications team in organising the 2020 UEBT conference, which was scheduled to take place in Paris. My academic background is in environment and agronomy—and I saw this as a valuable opportunity to contribute to an organisation whose mission strongly resonated with my values.
The cancellation of the 2020 conference due to the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated my transition into my next role: moving into the biodiversity team led by Simona D’Amico, where I took on a variety of responsibilities, including the development of the UEBT responsible sourcing risk database.
You are now leading its work on sourcing risks. Could you share what this role involves and what your main responsibilities are?
I am now responsible for maintaining the risk database, which involves keeping its data up to date by creating and revising sector risk profiles and country risk scores. This work is grounded in experts’ input and field experience ensuring it reflects current realities. Beyond updates, I also help ensure our methodology and data sources remain relevant while also exploring innovative ways to enhance our risk assessment work. My role also includes liaising with the platform’s users, promoting the risk database, and contributing to improvements in its interface. I do all this together with my colleague Vera Catalano (UEBT’s Biodiversity and Data Analysis Officer), whose insightful suggestions help us improve our processes and who, on a personal note, also happens to be our go-to staffer for expert advice on keeping household plants alive and thriving!
Who is the UEBT responsible sourcing risk database designed for, what kind of information does it contain, and how does it support companies in meeting due diligence requirements?
The UEBT responsible soThe UEBT responsible sourcing risk database is designed to support both international and local companies in identifying and managing social and environmental risks in their supply chains. It contains country and sector-specific risk information across more than 25 indicators, grouped into four main categories. Country risk scores are based on credible open-source databases, while sector risk profiles describe the typical production practices of botanicals in specific countries under conventional, uncontrolled conditions. These profiles include insights into cultivation methods, working conditions, and, when relevant, local processing practices. The database currently includes over 250 sector profiles, primarily focused on botanicals but also including some relevant commodities, and is continuously updated.
For international companies, the database provides a strategic overview of potential risks across global supply chains, helping prioritise areas for action. This might include conducting field assessments to tailor mitigation strategies to specific suppliers. Local companies can use the database to benchmark their practices against sector risks and demonstrate how they manage these risks to clients and stakeholders.
With the growing number of due diligence regulations, the database is a valuable tool for companies to meet legal requirements. It covers key risks such as ecosystem degradation, child labour, and human rights violations. Companies can use the risk database as a starting point to engage suppliers and verify how these risks are being addressed. The UEBT risk team works closely with the policy team to ensure the database remains aligned with evolving regulatory frameworks.
Charlotte in Brazil visiting a Carnauba supply chain.
Charlotte Mallet, UEBT Sourcing Risk Expert