Exclusive Sustainability Panel: Supply chain resilience
The food and beverage industry follows suit in the pursuit of sustainability. Has a high input and perhaps even higher output industry, organisations in this field are plagued with similar climate and social concerns, but also with a unique twist.
To understand this, it’s important to recognise the factors at play. Firstly, the natural elements of emissions reduction in the supply chain. Secondly, the risk and resilience element as resources are frantically gathered to feed a growing population. And finally, these efforts should also be able to provide the correct nutrients required to improve the health and lifestyle of those that consume them.
Sustainability Magazine previously had this conversation with experts at Tate & Lyle to create a report that not only understands the commitments of the business, but also understands the supply chain landscape and how collaboration can have a profound impact on its economic success in line with environmental and social demands.
Tate & Lyle returns for supply chain resilience conversation
Joining the panel is Anna Pierce, Director of Sustainability at Tate & Lyle, who we previously interviewed for the report ‘Protecting planet and people through ingredient innovation’, and also featured in the inaugural Sustainability LIVE New York.
Pierce makes a key point, which is a major component of the supply chain conversation in the food industry, saying that sustainability is only achievable if the principles that organisations adhere to can be replicated among farmers, suppliers and other small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs).
“It's not about adopting a particular regenerative agriculture practice and saying, this is sustainable, we've done it, this is over, this was a great project, now onto the next,” says Pierce.
“It [means] thinking about the farmers' livelihoods. The [change in] practice isn't sustainable if the farmers aren't benefiting economically and if the communities aren't benefiting along with those regenerative agriculture practices.”
During the panel discussion, Pierce was also joined by two experts to discuss climate resilience in the supply chain, which seemed to have a particular emphasis on the food and drink sector. Joining her on stage were Steven Loiselle, Senior Research Lead at Earthwatch, and Director of Sustainability and Growth from the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) Balwinder Dhoot.
Loiselle says: “We've seen that in the past in some programmes where there's a launch to make things sustainable. There are, let's say, methodologies or approaches provided to the farmers, and they might run with it for a year or two, but if they don't, if they don't buy in, if they don't see the benefit all around, they abandon it pretty quickly.”
Dhoot also says: “Sustainability, it requires investment [of both] people and money. If you've got a situation, [for example], Brexit in the UK, the Covid pandemic, Russian invasion of Ukraine, you know, massive spikes in inflation. Businesses are firefighting and that reduces bandwidth and some longer term stuff might have taken a backseat during that period, or you'd expect it to.”
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Other magazines that may be of interest - EV Magazine | Energy Digital
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Sign up to the The Global Sustainability & ESG Awards 2024, coming to London on the 11th September 2024.
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