A holistic approach to managing ESG priorities.
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ESG stories—both good and bad—have become a staple of food and beverage news. Although the negative press might skew public perception slightly, the reality is F&B brands have largely adopted a leadership position on many environmental, social, and governance issues. In this Food & Beverage Sustainability Guide, we’ll explore recent industry-driven innovations and gains we’re already seeing by making eco-conscious decisions.
Even if you’re lagging behind when it comes to sustainability initiatives, you’ve already made an important first step—finding the right resources to help you get started. In this guide, we’ll cover a variety of ESG themes with the goal of prioritization. While we can’t promise a one-size-fits-all roadmap to a more sustainable supply chain, we will consider everything from carbon footprint challenges to changing consumer preferences, regional regulatory domains, and more. By the end you should be able to hone in on what efforts make the most sense for your business. And where should you focus your efforts next.
Understanding practical drivers for ESG programs
Rather than going for the top-down regulatory approach, we’re taking an expanded view of sustainability. But we’re not the only ones. Nearly all of the global top 100 food and beverage brands have adopted a proactive stance that continues to outpace international regulations. In addition to investing in sustainability teams and setting aggressive targets (many of which have deadlines as early as 2030), they’re being transparent about their ESG activities and publishing annual reports to let the world see where they stand.
Now, smaller brands are left to follow suit—or risk getting left behind as the call for sustainability increases from retailers, employees, other supply chain partners, and, of course, consumers. But never fear, we’re breaking down all the ESG basics you need to know in order to carry on your brand’s journey, including:
- EU regulations for international organizations and reference when establishing/prioritizing new initiatives
- Greenwashing risks for packaging, labeling, and other ESG claims throughout the industry
- Sustainability frameworks and support through a variety of global organizations
- Product-level lifecycle assessments (LCAs) and other tools for evaluating environmental impact
- The potential advantages and overlap of traceability-related efforts

A shared mission for the F&B supply chain
In this industry, we have our own language, processes, legislation, and more. As time goes on, it’s also clear that we share a mission to create something better, and stronger than the fragmented supply chain that’s existed in previous years. To that end, it’s time to take action. As you continue your journey, download this guide created specifically for the food and beverage industry by those who know it best. Keep reading for your first look at this new resource.
A Sneak Preview: Introduction
Let’s admit it: the drumbeat of negative news on the climate and our natural environment can be depressing at times. Whether it’s microplastics contaminating our oceans, melting sea ice near the poles, rising sea levels, deforestation, or extreme weather events linked to climate change, there’s plenty to be concerned about.
And yet, there’s a flipside to all the downbeat news. The global food and beverage industry has taken a leadership position on many key issues, driving many innovations forward. Consider a few examples:
According to research by the US Department of Agriculture, farm output in the US has grown by 190% since the late 1940s, while total inputs such as land, water and labor actually declined. While plenty of challenges still exist, the bottom line is that agriculture continues to become more efficient, with positive impacts for water and land usage, pollution, and many other environmental factors.
While still a challenging arena, major advances in food packaging have addressed sustainability from multiple angles. Renewable bioplastics, compostable and recyclable materials, biodegradable packaging, and sustainably sourced paper products are all moving forward. And they’ll need to—restrictions on single-use plastics are emerging all over the world, among other regulations banning or heavily restricting problematic chemicals and compounds.
The global scientific community is in strong consensus that human activity, especially over the last century, has had and is having a dramatic impact on the world’s climate. But while some effects are baked in (pun intended), there is much that can be done to slow climate change and reverse negative environmental impacts. Consumers and regulators alike are demanding change.
In food and beverage, every organization is different, facing unique supply chain challenges and varying consumer preferences, alongside a variety of regional factors including differing regulatory domains. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to choosing the right sustainability priorities and building the right program. So instead of laying out one path for everyone, we’re going to look at several important considerations that can help you prioritize the efforts that will mean the most to your business and talk about some strategies for making those programs effective. We’ll look at some drivers behind sustainability, including the regulations shaping policy in different parts of the world. We’ll talk about what it means to think holistically about the total impact of ingredients, packaging and products. We’ll explore some emerging synergies between sustainability and other drivers for increased transparency and traceability in the global food supply chain, and we’ll talk about what’s involved in planning for a world where critical information is coming from multiple sources. Let’s get started!
More resources for a more sustainable industry
If you’re doing a deep dive on this topic, we’ve got more resources to share. Specifically, The 2024 Food Industry ESG Survival Guide, which includes up-to-date information on all relevant legislation, trends, and future-proofing tactics.