Reporting food service emissions

Unofficial AI-generated summary based on the public title and abstract. Not an official translation.

🔬研究者:Provides a concrete case of AI applied to Scope 3 accounting in food service, with implications for data quality and scalability.

🏢実務担当者:Shows how AI-driven LCI matching can reduce the burden of Scope 3 reporting and strengthen sustainability claims.

🏛政策担当者:Highlights the need for standardized, accessible lifecycle inventory data to enable SME participation in climate disclosure.

Food Science and TechnologyVolume 36, Issue 4 p. 46-49 FeaturesFree Access Reporting food service emissions First published: 01 December 2022 https://doi.org/10.1002/fsat.3604_12.xAboutSectionsPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Dr Laura Kirwan and Jocelyn Doyle of Nutritics describe technological innovations for nutrition analysis and menu management systems to deliver a sustainable hospitality and food service (HaFS) sector. Background With much of the dialogue around climate change focused on energy use, transport and the use of fossil fuels, it may be surprising to learn that global food production is considered the single biggest threat to the environment. The industries behind the global food system contribute to 60% of biodiversity loss, 60% of land conversion, 30% of climate change and more than 50% of the eutrophication of water1. One-third of all land is already used to farm crops and livestock2 – and yet food production continues to be the main cause of deforestation and other habitat loss. The global foodservice market was valued at US$2.52bn in 2021, and this is estimated to grow to US$4.43bn by 2028, showing a compound annual growth rate of 9.9% from 2021 to 20283. Business decisions relating to foodservice operations can therefore significantly impact both the environment and the economy. Tony Juniper, CBE, former Executive Director for Advocacy, WWF-UK, commented ‘Most of us might believe it's our energy or transport choices that cause the most serious environmental damage. In fact, it's our food system that creates the biggest impact’. Drastic climate action is needed from the hospitality and foodservice sector (HaFS). This said, the process of measuring and reducing scope 3 emissions is challenging as a result of data access, accuracy, availability, collection, comparability, management and associated time and resource costs4. Due to the variety of scope 3 emissions and the fact that they occur throughout all stages of the value chain, they can be difficult to define and calculate. Value chains themselves are often complex, long and not necessarily transparent; they typically involve multiple suppliers and producers. This makes it challenging to comprehensively measure the impact of individual ingredients, much less that of recipes, dishes or menus. The complexity of scope 3 emission tracking has hindered the development of evidence-based strategic climate action in the HaFS sector, despite the development of protocols and guidelines on scope 3 emission measurement and reporting5. As far back as 2009, technological innovations have been shown to yield bottom- and top-line returns for businesses, with innovation being recognised as a key enabler to achieving sustainability progress6. Food data management company Nutritics has developed an innovative new solution using AI to match food items in its system to carbon and water data points from scientific, peer-reviewed life cycle inventories (LCI) for foodservice companies. This article outlines this new technological advancement and discusses its implications for greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe), water use and food waste reporting in this sector. What is currently being measured and tracked in the sector? The link between food waste and carbon emissions is still not understood, indicating that a ‘radical, rapid change’ is needed in the foodservice sector in order to reduce carbon emissions. Voluntary initiatives have seen some success in emission, water use and food waste reduction in the sector in recent years7. WRAP set up the Courtauld Commitment in 2015, which has enabled collaborative action across the UK food chain in relation to food waste, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) and water stress. This has seen significant success, with a 55% reduction in food waste achieved five years ahead of schedule, while work on emissions and water stress is ongoing7. Other initiatives, such as the Zero Carbon Forum and the United Nations Global Compact, have gained traction in recent years and have provided guidance, such as roadmaps for industry progress, enabling companies to take a transparent approach to setting targets and reporting progress. Despite engagement with these initiatives, it is reported that 74% of companies are still not tracking their food waste emissions and more than 60% are not reporting their emissions along the food supply chain8. In addition to this, only 39% of all companies are reporting their scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions, and only 41% are disclosing their GHG emission targets. Out of 350 of the largest food and agriculture companies in 2021, only 7% were actively working towards reducing their scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions, and only 2% had targets to address scope 3 emissions9. Bearing in mind that scope 3 emissions can account for up to 95% of a food manufacturer's emissions4, how strategic can climate action in this sector really be? Consumer and stakeholder demand In a recent survey of 1.2m people, 64% of respondents said that climate change was an emergency, ‘presenting a clear and convincing call for decision-makers to step up on ambition’. Of these people, 59% agreed that the world should do everything necessary in response, and urgently10. Stakeholders are demanding climate action, with a UK investor coalition (managing £6tn) calling for mandatory health and sustainability standards for food companies11, suggesting that organisations that do not respond will lose market share. Consumers are also supportive of government intervention, with almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents indicating that stronger policy and regulation is required at a government level to provide guidance on how the industry should reduce food waste10. Along with large organisations, customers see themselves as the primary catalysts for change – they are playing their part and expect companies to follow suit. Globally, 85% of people have shifted their purchasing behaviour towards sustainable options in the past five years. Communicating the environmental impact of food choices is also complex; while the Green Claims Code in the UK provides a useful framework and checklist for evaluating claims, many are still subjective and open to interpretation. This said, environmentally sustainable strategies have shown a positive impact on consumer attitudes and responses12. Climate disclosures Major developments in climate reporting have been observed this year. The International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Foundation's International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) was established in 2021 and consulted on its exposure draft standards (ISSB EDs), intended to provide a global baseline of climate-related financial disclosures13. At European level, the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) consulted on its European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), which outlined an increased scope of environmental reporting requirements under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)14. The CSRD is set to become an EU directive at the end of 2022, with companies meeting set criteria required to expand the scope of their environmental reporting from January 2024. While differences are observed across these climate reporting standards, emissions (scopes 1-3 and total) and climate related targets are included across all standards, at various levels. At a regional level, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) also consulted on mandatory climate reporting requirements and the UK Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs consulted on improved reporting of food waste by large food businesses in England in 2022. The Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) published a briefing paper this year comparing similarities and differences across climate-related disclosures using Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations and guidance as a comparative baseline. Legislative changes and investor and customer demands are therefore driving expectations for evidence-based climate action13. A consultation for the European Framework for Sustainable Food Systems was also completed in 2022, with an aim of ‘making the transition to sustainable food systems easier’. With legislation under review and the future uncertain, one thing is clear — the HaFS sector cannot continue with business as usual. While these consultations are positive in terms of encouraging action on climate commitments, companies’ ability to report their emissions and accountability have been questioned. Technological innovation To ensure long-term viability as well as human and planetary health, companies must invest, innovate and transform the way they do business. Sustainability has been identified in numerous reports as a growing priority driver for consumers and there are high expectations from foodservice operators to show greater innovation in tackling sustainability issues. Solutions to this challenge have included developing more inventive and sustainable menus and ramping up communication on sustainability initiatives and climate progress. Informed, strategic and evidence-based action is drastically required across the HaFS and technology should be seen as an essential tool in achieving this. Reliable, end-to-end digital tracking improves processes, inventories and deliveries, and reduces carbon emissions. Nutritics, a food data specialist, has collated a database of 1.4m foods and provides high-quality reliable nutrition analysis and menu management systems to the HaFS sector. I

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