Due Diligence Fund (up to EUR 250,000)

What projects does the DDF Fund ?

The DDF identifies and funds promising, practical and innovative approaches to corporate HREDD in agricultural supply chains that are designed to be adaptable and scalable.

Projects focus on primary production in supply chains and address risks affecting people and the environment directly on the ground. They cover key due diligence topics such as deforestation-free supply chain, climate and biodiversity, digital participation, gender equity and social inclusion, as well as living income and living wages. Potentially affected people and groups (“rightsholders”), such as smallholder farmers and plantation workers, are actively involved in project design and implementation and benefit from the measures introduced.

Experience from previous funding rounds shows that compliance with LkSG, CSDDD and EUDR is feasible in practice – and that going beyond minimum legal requirements is beneficial for all involved supply chain actors.

The DDF supports companies in establishing and continuously implementing sustainable due diligence processes. Monitoring, evaluation and the public dissemination of results generate practical insights and transferable approaches that companies can adapt to other supply chains.

Projects should:

• demonstrate strong potential to prevent or mitigate adverse impacts
• apply a risk-based approach, building on a previously conducted risk assessment
• follow a process-oriented approach rather than implementing isolated measures
• go beyond minimum legal due diligence requirements
• be designed to be scalable and adaptable
• promote gender equity through targeted measures

Project proposals are to be submitted by partnerships consisting of:

• one or more commercial partners based in the EU, the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland or the United Kingdom (UK)

And at least one of the following:

• one or more commercial partners based in a OECD-DAC-listed country
• one or more public-interest organizations with relevant expertise

Co-funding is required by the European-based companies depending on their size.

Eligible commercial partners are those that are connected to an agricultural supply chain through production, processing, distribution or enabling services, that can cause, contribute to, or be linked to adverse impacts, and that have or can build leverage to prevent or mitigate those impacts.