Fresh Produce Growers' Guide to Sustainability Reporting
Consumers are increasingly demanding environmentally and socially conscious products. To meet this demand, retailers and large brands are setting sustainability goals and implementing sustainable practices within their own operations. They are also reaching out to their supply chains through sustainability surveys. The number of surveys and the details required grow each year; some buyers are even beginning to make purchasing decisions based on supplier responses.
With sustainability demands here to stay, how can growers prepare to report their sustainability efforts? In this guide, we will cover how consumers and retailers are shaping sustainability in the fresh produce industry. We also provide practical and proactive steps growers can consider when approaching sustainability reporting.
The Role of Retailers and Consumers in Shaping Sustainability Trends
How Major Retailers Like Walmart, Kroger, and Aldi are Influencing Sustainable Agriculture
Retailers are at the front line of consumer sustainability demands. As a result, over the past decade, retailers have shifted from vague aspirations around sustainability to concrete, data-backed goals and sustainability initiatives. These major retailers’ initiatives significantly influence sustainability trends within the agricultural sector.
Walmart, for instance, is seen as a leader in sustainability and set ambitious sustainability goals, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing responsible recruitment, and sourcing produce from IPM verified operations. Through annual surveys such as Project Gigaton and THESIS, Walmart collects supplier sustainability information to track progress towards their goals.
Kroger has also asked suppliers to participate in the THESIS survey, implemented initiatives such as its Zero Hunger | Zero Waste program to eliminate food waste, and recently announced an IPM verification requirement of their own.
Aldi, recognized by the EPA for their commitment to sustainability, has goals focused on greenhouse gas emissions, packaging, waste, and responsible sourcing. For their suppliers, Aldi established social standards, encourages the adoption of environmentally responsible farming practices, and aims to work with their suppliers to reduce packaging and increase recyclability.
By leveraging their purchasing power and setting stringent sustainability requirements, these retailers encourage growers to prioritize sustainability in their operations.
The Rise of Eco-Conscious Consumers
Consumer preferences are increasingly shifting towards eco-conscious shopping, driving demand for sustainably sourced products, including fresh produce. Today's consumers are more informed and environmentally aware, seeking transparency and accountability from the brands they support.
As a result, fresh produce growers are under pressure to align with consumer values by implementing and sharing their sustainable farming practices. Research indicates consumers are willing to pay a premium for sustainable products, and this shift in consumer behavior underscores the importance of sustainability reporting for growers looking to meet market demands and maintain a competitive edge.
Practical Steps for Effective Sustainability Reporting
Starting Your Sustainability Journey
Beginning your sustainability reporting journey can be incredibly daunting. With an increasing number of requests on a growing variety of topics, where should you start? Measure to Improve recommends starting by creating an inventory of past and current sustainability practices. Engage with stakeholders, including employees, suppliers, and local communities, to garner support and gather valuable insights.
The good news is that you are likely implementing several sustainable practices as a grower. For example, have you…
switched to a more efficient irrigation system?
implemented an Injury Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP)?
kept food waste out of the landfill by sending it to animal feed or compost?
upgraded machinery to more efficient models?
modified the implements you use to reduce passes across your fields?
downsized your packaging to eliminate waste and reduce packaging costs?
These are all considered sustainability practices, but many growers don’t realize it. Be sure to consider past sustainability efforts, even if the practices seem standard to your operation now. These are starting points from which you can build momentum as you begin your sustainability journey.
Next, you’ll need to identify areas for improvement. Where do you need better data, and what would you like to be able to report on in the future? Measure to Improve recommends setting measurable sustainability goals that are aligned with your values and business objectives. Whether reducing water usage, improving packaging sustainability, or achieving a sustainability certification, establish measurable targets to track your progress over time. Remember that sustainability is a continuous process, and incremental changes can lead to significant long-term benefits beyond reporting.
Tracking, Reporting, and Communicating Your Sustainability Metrics
Sustainability reporting has shifted from asking about practices to focusing on tangible sustainability data that demonstrate the outcome of your efforts. Instead of being asked to describe your irrigation practices, you are more likely to be asked to report the amount of water used to produce your crop.
Effective data management is essential for tracking and reporting sustainability metrics accurately. Implement systems to collect, analyze, and monitor key data points related to your sustainability topic in focus. As you begin collecting data for reporting, consider data you may already have for your operations. For example, are you required to report nitrogen, pesticide applications, water use, or waste generated to your local jurisdiction? If so, leverage that data!
Additionally, consider the metrics you would like to calculate and report, such as a water efficiency metric (amount of water used per amount of crop harvested) or a waste diversion rate (amount of waste kept out of the landfill versus total amount generated). Often, buyer sustainability requests include metrics that can guide you in selecting metrics for your organization.
Communicate your sustainability efforts transparently through annual reports, certifications, and marketing materials. If you’re just starting, consider communicating internally within your organization first, then sharing more broadly with external stakeholders. Provide stakeholders with meaningful insights into your environmental and social performance, highlighting achievements, challenges, and future objectives.
Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them
While starting your sustainability journey can be rewarding, it's essential to be aware of common pitfalls growers may encounter along the way. These include:
Prioritizing Everything: After assessing your sustainability efforts, the list of areas to improve can often be a mile long. If you try to prioritize everything, you end up prioritizing nothing. Aim to focus on the areas of most value to your operations when getting started.
Greenwashing: Avoid misleading or exaggerated claims about your sustainability practices. Be honest and transparent about your efforts, acknowledging areas for improvement and demonstrating a genuine commitment to sustainability.
Lack of Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with stakeholders throughout the sustainability reporting process, including employees from a variety of departments and roles such as growing, harvesting, accounting, packaging procurement, PCAs / CCAs, human resources, and even your suppliers and customers. Their input and support are critical for success.
How to Be Proactive and Stay Ahead
Sustainability reporting is a means of demonstrating social and environmental stewardship and a strategic necessity for fresh produce growers looking to thrive in a rapidly evolving marketplace. By aligning with retailer expectations, responding to consumer demands, and adopting practical sustainability measures, growers can position themselves as leaders in sustainability. By taking proactive steps to track, report, and improve their environmental and social performance, growers can create a more resilient and sustainable future for generations to come.
If you are interested in taking a proactive approach but unsure how to get started, reach out to Measure to Improve.
We are the fresh produce industry’s go-to sustainability experts, with ten years of experience creating sustainability reporting strategies and providing hands-on support in preparing reporting responses. We keep our pulse on the sustainability landscape, monitoring retailer reporting requirements and requests, including Walmart’s Project Gigaton, The Sustainability Consortium’s (TSC) THESIS, Kroger, Walmart, and Whole Foods Integrated Pest Management (IPM) requirements, and more. We can work with you to determine an approach to sustainability reporting that makes the most sense for your organization. The reporting world can be hard to navigate, but Measure to Improve is here to help.
To learn more about how we can support you, check out our Buyer Survey Support services.
FAQs
What is sustainability reporting and why is it crucial for fresh produce growers?
Reporting your sustainability practices and outcomes to fresh produce buyers, from major retailers to consumers. A wide array of sustainability topics can be reported including environmental topics (e.g., greenhouse gases, fertilizer, Integrated Pest Management (IPM), packaging, waste, water) and social topics (e.g., child and forced labor, responsible recruitment, worker health and safety). Sustainability reporting demonstrates your commitment to growing your fresh produce in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
How can small-scale growers efficiently manage sustainability reporting?
Sustainability is a continuous process of improvement, and incremental changes can lead to significant long-term benefits. Growers of any size can start by identifying and inventorying their past and current sustainability efforts and prioritize opportunities to begin reporting based on pre-existing efforts or areas you plan to address that provide value to your operation. Start with 1-2 sustainability topics beneficial to you and your organization and continue to grow and expand efforts overtime.
What are the top benefits of adopting sustainability practices for growers?
Growing fresh produce today in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Demonstrating your commitment to sustainability with your customers, consumers, and regulators.
Identifying opportunities to streamline operations, whether that be in reducing time spent to report to key stakeholders or increasing resource use efficiency.
How do consumer demands influence sustainability efforts in the agriculture sector?
Major retailers and brand owners are often first to receive consumer demands for sustainable products. As consumer interests for sustainability topics emerge, these companies often respond by establishing sustainability goals addressing those topics, which require the participation of fresh produce supply chains to meet their goals. For instance, consumer demands for sustainable growing practices have driven commitments around regenerative agriculture and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, and consumer demands for fair labor practices have driven requirements for social accountability audits and third-party sustainability certifications.