A Road Map for Achieving Industry Progress on Sustainability
“Animal food industry members … are ready and willing to support broader sustainability goals within the food and agriculture community, but their ability to make measurable progress on areas important to their customers and suppliers is at times hindered by not knowing where to start. Now, we have provided an ‘on ramp’ for them…”
— Lara Moody, IFEEDER executive director
The Institute for Feed Education and Research has partnered with the American Feed Industry Association and its members to develop a Sustainability Road Map and Animal Food Industry Sustainability Toolkit with the goal of giving members a solid starting point for reducing their environmental impacts and helping consumers feel good about where their food comes from. Both the road map and toolkit were developed in collaboration with an advisory committee, representing all sectors and segments of the industry, and The Context Network.
Put simply, the Sustainability Road Map is IFEEDER’s plan to provide guidance and equip animal food industry members with resources to:
- Develop and advance their internal sustainability programs.
- Respond to product stakeholder and transparency needs.
- Communicate their sustainability stories to a variety of audiences.
- Align sustainability initiatives and strategies at field, farm, facility and association levels.
IFEEDER clearly identified whose efforts its road map is intended to help, along with the stakeholders the industry needs to engage with, to achieve results.
Animal Food Industry Sustainability Stakeholder Map
The first phase of the project included information gathering (i.e., conducting background research, developing resources), which led to the creation of:
- An IFEEDER definition for sustainability.
- A framework and strategic objectives for IFEEDER’s work to support industry and stakeholder sustainability efforts.
- A toolkit of insights and resources for organizations moving ahead in their sustainability journeys.
IFEEDER launched these tools in January 2023 and is now looking for funders to support work in the second phase of the project: implementation. Learn more and get involved now.
AFIA members can download the toolkit at the link above; for trouble accessing the member website, contact AFIA’s Erica Burson.
To purchase a subscription to the toolkit, visit AFIA’s Online Store.
How Does IFEEDER Define Sustainability?
Association sustainability strategies are different than corporate sustainability strategies. For IFEEDER, it recognizes the variability of existing definitions and provides respectful recognition for each organization to define sustainability in a manner that meets the needs of organizations and supply chain members.
IFEEDER’s Definition for Sustainability?
Sustainability in the U.S. animal food industry is defined and managed by each individual organization to deliver measurable, continuous improvements on the impacts related to people, planet and governance that are most important to them and their stakeholders.
Sustainability Road Map Phase 2 Advisory Committee Members & Funders
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Thank You to Our Phase 1 Advisory Committee and Funders
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