THESIS, created and developed by TSC, is a performance assessment system that guides retailers and suppliers to benchmark, quantify, and take action on critical sustainability issues within their consumer product supply chains.
Science-Based
Insights
Multi-Retailer
Support
Common
Analytics
Data-Backed
Decision Making
THESIS For Retailers and Suppliers
For Retailers:
Aligns with widely-used certifications, standards and tools
Supports existing reporting efforts while offering deeper insight
Covers 612 assessment product categories
Identifies social and environmental hotspots for people and the planet
Captures global data
Influence business decisions at the retailer level
Benchmarks suppliers and scores them across Key Performance Indicators
Addresses supplier survey fatigue by sharing one assessment with many retailers
Current retailers: Ahold Delhaize USA, Kroger, Sam’s Club, Staples, Tractor Supply Company, Walgreens, Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), Walmart, Woolworths, Large Global Retailer (20,000+ suppliers)
“The system is established, tried and tested and improved. Now, we are focused on the program – what suppliers need and creating a pathway to full disclosure over Years 1, 2 and 3 that helps our suppliers do this over time.” —Woolworths
For Suppliers:
Supports existing reporting efforts while offering deeper insight
Allows submission to multiple retailers
Supports improvement over time of supply chains
Influence business decisions at the retailer level
Identify risks and take action to improve
Reduces survey fatigue
Gain insight to identify sustainability hotspots
Allows suppliers to share the sustainability performance of their products with their customers
In 2023, TSC will introduce a common reporting period for all suppliers on THESIS to current retail customers. This common reporting period is designed to support supplier engagement with THESIS and minimize survey fatigue
“THESIS is instrumental in helping Georgia-Pacific communicate with our retail customers. Answering several different assessments at a time is a drain on our time and resources. THESIS not only makes it easy for us to answer one assessment for multiple retail customers, but the consistency across the questions asked year-to-year also helps us measure our progress.” — Georgia-Pacific
Learn more about THESIS
Where did THESIS come from?
THESIS was originally created by TSC starting in 2009 and launched as The Sustainability Index in 2014. In 2019, TSC partnered with SupplyShift to create our current iteration of THESIS, powered by SupplyShift’s cutting edge platform and informed by TSC’s deep roots in higher education, including ASU, the University of Arkansas, and Wageningen University + Research. THESIS currently has more retail users than ever before.
Every spring, TSC staff work with TSC members to revise and update THESIS for the upcoming fall campaign.
Who is SupplyShift?
THESIS is powered by SupplyShift, TSC’s partner who is committed to helping businesses create more transparent, responsible, and resilient supply chains. Learn more about SupplyShift and visit THESIS on their platform.
What is the Science Behind THESIS?
THESIS is rooted in TSC’s university-based, scientific methodology. THESIS is rooted in LCA methodology and was developed in a pre-competitive way using TSC’s stakeholder engagement expertise that brings the CPG industry, NGOs, and higher education together for greater impact. It is this combination of stakeholders that sets THESIS apart from other consultant-led performance assessment platforms.
TSC methodology is based on creating and evolving strict, LCA-based key performance indicators using relevant sources and evidence for hotspots, which are activities in the product life cycle that cause social or environmental impact.
THESIS at a Glance
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.
THESIS Industry Insight Reports
HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS
PACKAGING INSIGHTS
TRENDS IN TEXTILES
The Difference: University-Based Research
TSC and THESIS come out of research based at our two founding universities, Arizona State University and the University of Arkansas, with contributions from our partnership with Wageningen University + Research.
Get Started with THESIS Today.
Amy Scoville-Weaver
Director, Retail