Monoculture assesses the extent to which a company relies on - or incentivises its suppliers to rely on - single-species or single-varietal cultivation over large areas and long time periods. It addresses:

• large-scale, continuous planting of one crop (e.g., oil palm, soy, maize, eucalyptus, rubber) or one aquaculture species that diminishes agro-biodiversity;
• associated inputs and practices (synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation regimes, mechanised harvesting) that reinforce uniformity;
• ecological effects - soil-nutrient depletion, pest and disease vulnerability, pollinator decline, habitat fragmentation, reduced genetic diversity;
• social and economic implications for farmers and local communities (market dependence, land-use conflicts, resilience to climate shocks);
• identification of high-risk supply regions, policies that promote crop rotation, intercropping or agro-forestry alternatives, and measurable targets to diversify production systems in line with frameworks such as GRI 304, EU ESRS E4 and SDG 15.