A record number of the world's largest purchasers in the private and public sectors, representing a combined annual spend of more than $2.7tr, are using their purchasing power to achieve sustainable supply chains and manage costly environmental risks.

Many of the world's biggest food, beverage and tobacco brands are missing their biggest opportunity to mitigate climate risks, according to analysis by global non-profit CDP, formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project.

Lack of preparation leaves supply chains in Brazil, China, India and the United States more vulnerable to climate risks than those in Europe and Japan, according to research released by CDP and Accenture. However, suppliers in China and India deliver the greatest financial return on investment to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and demonstrate the strongest appetite for collaboration across the value chain.

FirstCarbon Solutions, active in environmental and sustainability business solutions, and CDP, an NGO provider of a global environmental disclosure system, announced the debut publication of the Supplier Climate Performance Leadership Index, a new evaluation and benchmarking tool for CDP supply chain members and suppliers.