thesis sustainability questionnaire

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THESIS Index

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The Sustainability Insight System (THESIS) Index (formerly the Sustainability Index) is a sustainability performance tool that allows brands and manufacturers to understand the sustainability story of their products. It generates assessments that Walmart uses to identify key social and environmental hot spots and to set an agenda as we work with suppliers to drive continuous improvement. Suppliers can see their own scores, how they rank relative to the field and gain insight into improvement opportunities for each of the categories they supply.

How it Works

Created by The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) , a global nonprofit organization transforming the consumer goods industry to deliver more sustainable consumer products, THESIS performance assessments are comprised of key performance indicators (KPIs) with detailed user guidance and background information. TSC has also created supporting documents like KPI calculation tools, sustainability snapshots and, when available, illustrated supply chain diagrams. THESIS on SupplyShift is an interactive tool that highlights environmental and social hotspots relevant to a product category, practices that can be used to drive improvement on those hotspots, and KPIs to track and measure year-over-year performance.

THESIS is science-based and stakeholder-informed, including input by companies, academics, civil society organizations, and government agencies. It first identifies the materially significant environmental and social issues—or “hot spots”—across the product life cycle. At the same time, “improvement opportunities” are identified to address those hotspots. The supply chain hotspots and improvement opportunities are then summarized in THESIS supporting documents. Next, KPIs are developed in the form of questions used to assess the sustainability performance against the most critical hotpots in each product category. Suppliers should complete an assessment for each product category that applies to what they supply. THESIS paints a picture of the sustainability challenges for nearly all consumer goods, from tomatoes to toys. We use THESIS data to identify key social and environmental hotspots and to set an agenda as we work with our suppliers to drive continuous improvement. We also use it to identify opportunities for special attention, such as fertilizer optimization or improved animal welfare, to help drive more substantial change quickly. Finally, the performance assessment is integrated into decision-making tools throughout the business. The use of THESIS also sets the expectation that Walmart isn’t looking for change at the margins with a few niche products—we’re trying to raise the bar for all items we stock. Additional details can be found on our corporate Sustainability site .

THESIS on SupplyShift is available to companies with active licenses year-round. Annual updates will be released mid-August, at which time you can log on to or create your company profile and begin your product sustainability assessments. The following are some helpful resources created by TSC with you in mind:

• THESIS Help Center : Library of short, self-guided support videos. Contact TSC at  [email protected]  to obtain the password.
• THESIS Help Desk: Email support offered by  [email protected] .
• Free THESIS Guide : Optimize Your Sustainability Performance Assessment Process.
• TSC Trained Service Providers : Trained professionals offering specialized assistance on completing THESIS assessments and using the resulting insights to improve sustainability performance.
• THESIS Live : Free monthly webinars offering guidance and insights on supply chain sustainability issues.
• Supplier Resources and Info Page : TSC webpage featuring additional resources.
• THESIS FAQs

THESIS for Suppliers

Now more than ever before, retailers are setting and executing ambitious sustainability targets . To achieve these targets, retailers are seeking an increased understanding of their supply chain and are using THESIS to achieve this . Additionally, global market demand is high for environmental disclosure and rapid sustainability action. Pressure grows each year from consumers to regulators.

Thesis is a holistic, science-based transparency and performance management tool rooted in science and stakeholder collaboration. as a supplier, thesis enables you to respond to multiple retailers while enhancing your awareness of your own supply chain to advance sustainability within your company ., thesis 2024 will launch in september , register today for thesis live webinars, tsc is hosting a series of free monthly webinars designed to help suppliers prepare for the upcoming campaign season please click below to sign up for these webinars and access recordings of previous sessions..

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Reduce survey fatigue while strengthening relationships with retailers  

Use a single platform to communicate directly with multiple retailer buyers.  

Be seen as a leader by your retail buyers

Align on retailer sustainability initiatives

• THESIS is tried and tested with the world’s largest retailers over the past ten years  

Gain valuable insights to focus your efforts and be equipped for action  

Define and achieve your supply chain goals.  

Receive tailored action recommendations to inform improvements year over year

Benchmark your performance against your competitors  

Supports existing reporting efforts while offering deeper insights

Capture historical year over year trends across product categories  

• Identify operational efficiency and cost savings for activities crucial to your business  

Learn about supply chain sustainability

Hotspots create clarity on the most pressing sustainability impacts for your products.

• THESIS includes resources to understand supply chain sustainability and the sustainability of consumer products  
• Gain science-based resources to inform development of consumer-facing language, external collaboration, and internal, cross-functional training  

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Build positive brand reputation and enhance your awareness of your risks and impacts

Understand the global impact of your products.   

Identify risks so you can take action to mitigate against climate-change, natural disasters, and social and political unrest

Meet growing retailer and consumer expectations while building trust with stakeholders through transparency

THESIS assessments replace the need for hiring separate resources to conduct category materiality assessments and for creating tailored sustainability improvement plans

Take your next steps with thesis.

A single, annual THESIS License includes:

• All THESIS on Sphera Supply Chain Sustainability, formerly known as SupplyShift, platform features : Access to all assessments, sharing with all THESIS retailers, and unlimited platform users.
• Insights to inform your decision making : Scorecards and data analytics with clear action recommendations and improvement opportunities tailored to your performance to help you improve year over year
• Support and resources for each step in the process , from: preparing for THESIS, completing assessments, and using your results to drive value
• Sustainability Snapshots : Overviews of the issues and opportunities for each assessment. These are ideal for internal communication when collecting data, as well as communicating results to external audiences
• Supply Chain Diagrams : Graphic representations of product life cycles that highlight locations of hotspots, improvement opportunities, and their associated KPIs
• Downloadable KPI Documents : Versions of the assessments in PDF and interactive Microsoft Excel formats
• KPI Calculation Tools : offline calculators and response assistance tools for 12 common KPIs.

 THESIS Support Center

Welcome to the THESIS Support Center, a centralized place to find guidance, resources, and best practices to support your success driving value with THESIS. Our THESIS Support team is here to help you get the most out of THESIS and to help you identify, prioritize, and address sustainability impacts in your supply chains. 

We offer resources and support for each step in the process from:

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Getting Started with THESIS

• Understanding THESIS  
• Understanding your current organizational state  
• Getting Started on THESIS

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THESIS Data Collection and Completing KPIs  

• Data collection best practices, process, and important information  
• Completing THESIS KPIs  
• Completing THESIS Assessments  

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Using your THESIS Results to drive value   

• Understand your THESIS score  
• Using THESIS results to drive value  

Download our free THESIS Guides

NEW Intro to THESIS for Suppliers

NEW THESIS Process Overview

Resources are available based on what you need, from available on-demand to hands-on support., for hands on thesis support:.

TSC Membership

TSC Members receive enhanced THESIS assessment and performance support. Consider joining as a full TSC member to take advantage of all the tools and services TSC has to offer

Available on-demand:  

NEW TSC Knowledge Hub

A searchable hub of short form articles with valuable information on THESIS and TSC

Getting your questions answered:

THESIS Live Webinar Series

Free webinars with important information and resources to support your THESIS Assessment process. Gives you the opportunity to have your questions answered live.

Trained Service Providers

Trained Service Providers are experienced sustainability expert consultants, with specialized training in THESIS content, KPIs, and methodology.

THESIS Product Finder

A free tool to help identify which product assessments exist on THESIS and an overview of the sustainability issues for each product 

TSC Help Desk

Questions about a KPI, navigating THESIS, or anything during your THESIS process? Contact: [email protected]  

NEW TSC Sustainability Resources

A collection of resources to learn about consumer products and supply chain sustainability

THESIS Video Library

A living library of short, support videos covering important topics to support to help you complete THESIS assessments. A majority of our videos have subtitles available in English, Mandarin, and Spanish. How to enable subtitles.

TSC Webinars and Events

Stay up to date on TSC News and Upcoming Events

Take a quick spin through our FAQs on THESIS

Download our free guide: Optimizing your sustainability assessment process.

Tsc impact report.

Summary of 2021 THESIS Scores — From 2016 to 2021, the THESIS assessments of product manufacturers have improved (relatively):

From 32.5% to 48.4% (where 100% equals the maximum score)..

This is an indication that the systems and processes put in place to respond to THESIS KPIs are creating positive changes in the manufacturer’s practices and its supply chain, leading to an overall improvement in scores. Scores improved from 2020 to 2021 at about the same pace they have annually over all six years.

Get started with THESIS today.

Contact TSC Director of Science and Impact

Erin killeen.