What The Sustainability Consortium does

The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) is a non-profit organization founded in 2009 and headquartered within Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. TSC's core offering is THESIS (The Sustainability Insight System), a science-based performance assessment platform that benchmarks retailers and consumer goods suppliers against sustainability KPIs across 612 product categories, covering approximately 90% of the global consumer goods supply chain. The methodology is grounded in Life Cycle Assessment and is developed through multi-stakeholder collaboration with academic partners including ASU and Wageningen University + Research. THESIS is delivered via the Sphera Supply Chain Sustainability platform (formerly SupplyShift) and is used by 1,700+ companies representing over $1 trillion in annual retail sales.

TSC complements THESIS with CommodityMap, a geospatial analytics tool that predicts environmental and social priorities in agricultural supply chains; supporting products including Animal Welfare Toolkits, the Wastewater 101 Toolbox, and KPI guidance resources; plus a Trained Service Provider Network of certified sustainability consultants. Member-only programs include Peer Learning Circles, Retailer Working Groups, the Leadership Institute retreat, the annual TSC Summit, and the multi-initiative Collective Action Program (covering circularity, resilient agriculture, and responsible pest management).

TSC operates a membership-based business model with multiple revenue streams: THESIS annual licenses for suppliers (sold through the Sphera platform), THESIS Affiliate premium status at $1,100/year for early access and enhanced support, Trained Service Provider training and renewal fees ($1,199 startup / $999 renewal for non-members), CommodityMap sponsorships, and full TSC Membership (pricing not publicly disclosed). The organization has 100+ global member organizations including anchor retailers Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Ahold Delhaize, Walgreens, Staples, Tractor Supply, and Woolworths, and suppliers such as Georgia-Pacific, Campbell Soup Company, and AlEn. Headcount is in the 11-50 range, consistent with a lean, ASU-affiliated non-profit operating in the sustainability science domain.

Name

The Sustainability Consortium

Legal name

The Sustainability Consortium

Website

https://sustainabilityconsortium.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sustainability Consortium is a non-profit organization, founded in 2009 and hosted at Arizona State University, that operates THESIS — a science-based sustainability assessment platform used by 1,700+ consumer goods companies and major retailers to benchmark supply chain sustainability performance across 612 product categories.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sustainability Assessment Platform

NAICS

Software Publishers (5132)

akta.pro primary industry

Supply Chain Sustainability & Responsible Sourcing (SMETA, supplier ESG) (EUAHAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Fair Trade & Ethical Supply Chains (Certification, Traceability, Producer Support) (BPAGALAL)

Keywords

• Sustainability assessment platform
• Supply chain analytics
• Consumer goods sustainability
• Life cycle assessment
• Sustainability benchmarking

Headquarters

HQ city

Scottsdale

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. THESIS Platform Licensing: Annual THESIS licenses sold to suppliers allowing them to submit sustainability assessments to multiple retail buyers through the Sphera Supply Chain Sustainability platform. License includes access to all assessments, sharing capabilities, and unlimited platform users.
2. THESIS Affiliate Program: Premium affiliate status for $1,100 per year offering early access to assessments (2-3 months before standard period), included license fee, expert support, network affiliation, and event discounts.
3. Trained Service Provider Program: Training program for sustainability consultants with one-time startup fee ($1,199 non-members, $449 members) and annual renewal ($999 non-members, complimentary for members). Provides turn-key access to THESIS assessments and resources.
4. TSC Membership: Full membership provides year-round access to Member Portal, participation in THESIS discussion groups, multiple passes to TSC Summit, and opportunity to contribute to THESIS feedback and revisions. Specific pricing not publicly disclosed.
5. CommodityMap Sponsorship: Sponsorship opportunities for CommodityMap including content sponsorship, event partnerships, and brand recognition/visibility on the platform.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

TSC delivers science-based sustainability assessments and analytics that allow consumer goods retailers and suppliers to benchmark performance across product supply chains. Its flagship THESIS platform provides standardized KPIs across 612 product categories covering roughly 90% of the global supply chain, accessed via annual licenses on the Sphera platform. Complementing THESIS are CommodityMap geospatial analytics, animal welfare and wastewater toolkits, and a trained service provider network for hands-on consulting.

Product overview

The Sustainability Consortium (TSC) operates a portfolio of interconnected sustainability assessment and analytics products. The core offering is THESIS (The Sustainability Insight System), a science-based performance assessment system that benchmarks suppliers across 612 product categories using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure environmental and social hotspots throughout supply chains. THESIS is complemented by CommodityMap, a geospatial analytics platform that predicts sustainability risks in agricultural sourcing regions. TSC also provides supporting tools including the Animal Welfare Toolkits for measuring animal welfare across production chains, the Wastewater 101 Toolbox as an industry resource clearinghouse, and the Trained Service Providers Network of certified sustainability consultants. Member programs include Peer Learning Circles, Retailer Working Groups, the Leadership Institute annual retreat, and TSC Summit conferences. Educational resources include the THESIS Live Webinar Series, THESIS Support Center, KPI Guidance Tool, and Video Library. The Collective Action Program encompasses initiatives like Small Format Circularity and Circular Innovation Hub. All offerings are grounded in TSC's university-based scientific methodology developed through Arizona State University and Wageningen University + Research partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• THESIS: The Sustainability Insight System - 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.
• CommodityMap
• Wastewater 101 Toolbox

Products and services

• THESIS (The Sustainability Insight System) A science-based performance assessment system that guides retailers and suppliers to benchmark, quantify, and take action on sustainability issues across consumer product supply chains, covering 612 product categories through annual licenses sold on the Sphera platform.
• CommodityMap A geospatial analytics platform that predicts environmental and social sustainability priorities in agricultural supply chains, offering self-serve access and sponsorship opportunities for organizations working in agricultural commodities.
• THESIS Affiliate Program A premium subscription upgrade for THESIS users priced at $1,100 per year, providing 2-3 months early access to assessments, included license fees, expert scorecard walkthrough sessions, preferred helpdesk response times, and 15% discount on TSC Summit attendance.
• Animal Welfare Toolkits Six scientific, globally harmonized tools for measuring sustainability of animal welfare throughout product lifecycles, covering beef and dairy cattle, pigs, poultry for meat, and laying and farmed fish.
• Wastewater 101 Toolbox A global clearinghouse of information for the textile industry regarding wastewater and its treatment, integrated into TSC's wastewater KPIs to support supply chain performance assessment across consumer goods sectors.
• Trained Service Providers Network A network of certified sustainability consultants with specialized THESIS training who deliver hands-on assessment assistance, strategy design, KPI methodology and verification, and performance improvement plans to suppliers completing THESIS assessments.

Quantifiable outcome

• THESIS assessment scores improved from 32.5% to 48.4% from 2016 to 2021 (where 100% equals maximum score)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Arizona State University (ASU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSC is a global organization operating within Arizona State University. ASU serves as TSC's founding university and hosts the organization. TSC staff conduct research through partnership with ASU and other universities.
• Wageningen University + ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing academic partner to TSC's science-based methodology. TSC and THESIS originated with contributions from Wageningen alongside ASU.
• Sphera Supply Chain SustainabilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationFormerly known as SupplyShift. THESIS is powered by Sphera's cutting edge platform. Sphera is committed to helping businesses create more transparent, responsible, and resilient supply chains.
• Campbell Soup CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-time TSC member and early adopter of Commodity Mapping program since 2012. Has used the tool to regularly update understanding of risks in ingredient supply chains, communicate about risks, and set data-based sustainability priorities.
• WMEP Manufacturing SolutionscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-standing TSC Trained Service Provider and TSC Member. Greg Gasper and Carol Crawford were part of inaugural Service Provider Training in 2017. Provide sustainability consulting services to THESIS users.
• KomarminorOthersTHESIS Affiliate organization demonstrating commitment to improving supply chain sustainability through premium status.
• HIS InternationalminorOthersTHESIS Affiliate organization demonstrating commitment to improving supply chain sustainability through premium status.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• EcoVadis: Operates a global sustainability ratings platform used by retailers and brands to assess suppliers across environment, labor, ethics, and procurement — the closest commercial analogue to THESIS and a direct substitute for supplier-side sustainability questionnaires.
• Sedex: Runs the SMETA (Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit) platform used by global retailers and suppliers to share ethical trade data — directly comparable to TSC's pre-competitive supplier data-sharing model across consumer goods supply chains.
• CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): Operates a global disclosure system for environmental impact (climate, water, forests) that member companies and their supply chains use — overlapping with THESIS on supplier-level environmental and supply chain sustainability disclosures, including for consumer goods.
• SAI Platform: Pre-competitive industry initiative developing sustainable agriculture standards and tools for the food and beverage supply chain — closely mirrors TSC's model of convening retailers, suppliers, and academics to build sector-wide methodologies.

Broad incumbents

• Sphera: Owns the platform that powers THESIS (formerly SupplyShift) and sells a broader portfolio of ESG, EHS, and supply chain risk software; comparable as both TSC's platform partner and a broader incumbent offering overlapping sustainability assessment capabilities.
• BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): Non-profit sustainability consultancy that advises consumer goods companies on supply chain sustainability strategy and runs collaborative industry initiatives — comparable to TSC's consulting, working-group, and convening activities across the same buyer-supplier base.
• Quantis: Sustainability consulting firm specializing in life-cycle assessment and product environmental footprinting for consumer goods companies — overlapping with TSC's LCA-based methodology and KPI development for product categories.
• Forum for the Future: International non-profit working on sustainability challenges with consumer goods and supply chain partners via programs and tools — parallels TSC's non-profit, multi-stakeholder model of convening industry around sustainability transformation.
• SCS Global Services: Independent sustainability certification body providing third-party certification and standards services across food, agriculture, and consumer goods — overlapping with TSC's assessment and verification role in product-level sustainability claims.

Emerging players

• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) / SBTN: Develops science-based sustainability targets (and now Science Based Targets for Nature) for companies and supply chains, with growing overlap to TSC's KPI frameworks; comparable as an emerging standards authority for science-based supplier sustainability metrics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-sustainability-consortium/mycompany
• Xx.com/TSC_News

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sustainability Consortium