A Dynamic Industry
The food and beverage (F&B) industry are no strangers to change, with a history of being dynamic and continually adapting to external drivers such as changing consumer preferences or government regulation.
Sustainability is no different, with both internal and external drivers for change.
With the global food system responsible for a third of anthropogenic greenhouse emissions, the majority of these from the supply chains of F&B companies, it’s good news that sustainability is a fast-growing area in F&B manufacturing and processing.
Drivers in Food and Beverage
Sustainability (or ESG) planning isn’t just concerned with carbon accounting, or even just the environment. It covers a broad range of interconnected topics, and can also uncover a range of opportunities.
A range of internal drivers for sustainability have also been expressed by Australian food and beverage companies, with a common one – employee attraction and retention – employees are increasingly interested in sustainability and want work that aligns with their values. Other internal drivers reported are ethical motivation, cost optimisation and management directive.
As the strategists and storytellers of innovative, future-focused businesses and organisations we see great value in an initial investment into insights.
A good understanding of the whole supply (or value) chain and the role this plays in competitive advantage is critical in the food and beverage industry. We also take a supply chain approach with our sustainability planning.
The BlueSalt Approach
We work with you to build a solid bank of insights before recommending actions.
This includes looking at trends in your industry and business location, strengths and opportunities, mapping your supply chain and identifying material topics (those important to report and action).
Ultimately, this ensures you are investing your time and resources into areas that both meet your vision and goals and make the biggest positive impact.
Our sustainability expert, Rhiannon, has qualifications in Sustainable Development and has completed post-grad studies in Life Cycle Analysis. To get started on your path to sustainability, find out more more about our ESG services.
Funding Opportunities
You might be surprised to know there are funding opportunities for businesses who are serious about sustainability. We’ve seen opportunities from all levels of government, and private philanthropy.
One examples is the WA State Government AgriFood and Beverage Voucher Program, which provides matched funding to access professional support. The most recent round included five categories, including environmental sustainability and social responsibility. BlueSalt Consulting is also a provider in the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development’s Professional Service Provider Directory for this sector. To check on the next round of vouchers, visit the DPIRD website to find out more.
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A version of this blog post first appeared on Anna Dixon Consulting’s website, our previous brand.
