Revolutionising Sustainability Reporting in the Food Industry
Foodsteps, a leading food sustainability platform, has announced the launch of its innovative Scope 3 Assessments, aimed at assisting food businesses in navigating the complexities of sustainability reporting with greater ease and affordability. As new regulations, including the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), California’s Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB253), and the IFRS S2, require detailed emissions reporting across Scopes 1, 2, and 3, food companies face mounting pressure to provide transparency regarding their environmental impact.
The Importance of Scope 3 Assessments
Research indicates that a staggering 95% of a food company’s carbon footprint stems from Scope 3 emissions, which are associated with supply chain activities. These emissions include everything from the extraction of raw materials to the transportation of products and their eventual disposal. Foodsteps is addressing this challenge with an industry-leading solution tailored specifically for the food sector. The Scope 3 Assessments deliver granular carbon measurements that not only meet stringent reporting requirements but also provide actionable insights for targeted decarbonisation efforts.
Success Story: Collaboration with Compass Group
Stephanie Pereira, Climate & Environment Impact Analyst at Compass Group UK&I, highlighted the value of Foodsteps’ services in real-world applications: “Foodsteps analysed 1.7 million rows of food and beverage data with Compass. The insights from Foodsteps contributed to the development of Compass’ Transition Plan, which aligns with the UK government’s Transition Plan Taskforce goals. Building on this successful experience, we collaborated with Foodsteps once more to assess our FY24 food and beverage data. By collaborating on Scope 3 Assessments and recipe measurement, Compass has made evidence-based ingredient choices and employed menu modelling to inform decisions, empowering stakeholders to drive change within their sectors.”
Simplifying Compliance and Driving Change
Foodsteps’ Scope 3 Assessments simplify compliance with regulations such as the CSRD by reducing costs and improving data accuracy. Supported by a robust database of over 40,000 emissions factors and expert assistance from in-house data scientists, Foodsteps offers reliable Scope 3 data tailored for the food industry. Moreover, the assessments help identify emissions hotspots within supply chains, enabling businesses to implement targeted reductions and reduce reliance on costly offsets. The result is a practical solution that not only aids in regulatory compliance but also fosters genuine sustainability efforts.
A Purpose-Built Solution for the Food Sector
Anya Doherty, Founder and Director of Foodsteps, remarked, Decarbonising our food systems demands considerable effort, and accurate Scope 3 data is crucial for realising this potential. With increasing regulatory demands for precise supply chain reporting, the food and beverage industry urgently needs accurate and comprehensive data. Foodsteps is proud to introduce the first purpose-built solution for the food industry to tackle the complex but necessary exercise of measuring and reporting on Scope 3 emissions.”
With the launch of these Scope 3 Assessments, Foodsteps is poised to support food businesses in navigating sustainability reporting mandates while actively advancing their decarbonisation goals. Food companies are encouraged to explore how Foodsteps’ assessments can alleviate regulatory burdens and build long-term value.