UK consumers have a great desire to learn about conditions for food producers in poor countries, a new survey indicates, which food manufacturers can satisfy by flagging up their ethical sourcing efforts.
The European Crop Protection Association has expressed concern that restrictive EU regulation on pesticide use could stand in the way of global food security, following the UK’s Food Security Assessment.
Helen Browning, chair of the Food Ethics Council, expects the food and fairness inquiry will inspire food businesses to adopt good supply chain practices and warn them off bad ones - ultimately benefit their businesses in the long term.
A major new inquiry is seeking evidence on fairness in the global food system and will deliver a set of recommendations for food producers, retailers and governments on ethical practices.
Brazilian soy processor have extended their moratorium on sourcing from newly deforested areas of the Amazon, as efforts to curb destruction of the rainforest need more time to take affect.
The UK’s organic sector is waking up to the need to market its key messages and is planning a conference to examine consumer attitudes and share experiences.
The CIAA has invited the Swedish presidency to take part in the recently launched Round Table on Sustainable Production and Consumption (SPC); while Sweden has made food and the climate one of its priorities for agriculture over the next six months.
The WWF suggests that red meat packs should carry labels advising people to consume no more than three portions a week, and dairy products no more than three a day, according to reports.
Swedish authorities have drawn up a new set of guidelines on diet choices for health and the environment and is circulating them around the EU for feedback – and to encourage take up of the strategy elsewhere.
Danisco’s new sustainability chief will look to build more value from company policies and seeing results on the bottom line – as well as for the environment and local communities.
Symrise has received fair trade certification for its bourbon vanilla extracts from Madagascar, offering farmers advice and premiums that help dissuade them from switching to less labour intensive crops.
Representatives of the UK soft drink industry claim that ‘creative’ innovation across the industry is keeping manufacturers on track to meet their sustainability goals, though more must be done in the future.
The UK government’s policy on sustainable food and farming has been overtaken by developments in climate change and obesity and is no longer fit for its purpose, says the chair of the Sustainable Development Commission.
Participants in the Round Table on Responsible Soy unanimously agreed a set of voluntary production standards on Thursday to reduce the negative environmental and social impacts of soy production.
As consumers seek out food with a reduced carbon footprint, some experts believe a dietary shift from red meat and dairy consumption may be more effective than turning to locally sourced products, suggests new analysis.
Speculation in the commodity markets needs close monitoring to help ease price volatility, the first ever G8 meeting of agricultural ministers has concluded, and agri-food chains should be more closely-coordinated to boost efficiency.
FoodNavigator talks to Peter Melchett, policy director at the Soil Association, about communication efforts to help more consumers understand and engage in organics, and the all-important issue of climate change.
Consumers don’t just expect companies to do no harm in communities they source from, but to actually contribute to development, a major international survey commissioned by FLO International indicates – and they appear to be sticking by their principles...
Mars has pledged that its entire cocoa supply will be certified as sustainably produced by 2020, through a multi-year, multi-country deal forged with the Rainforest Alliance.
Organic Monitor is organising a Sustainable Foods Summit in June, which will give air the key debates on ethical and environment aspects of the food supply chain.
The supply chain for stevia is sound and sustainable, says PureCircle, which is communicating the ethical values behind its high purity Reb-A sweetener in keeping with the natural image.
The food industry’s new sustainability roundtable will seek to unify all the green assessment methods now in use and under development, says the CIAA’s environmental director, rather than developing yet another approach from scratch.
Cadbury’s commitment to source cocoa for its popular Dairy Milk chocolate bars is a strong signal that responsible sourcing is moving out of a niche and into the mainstream, and will introduce more consumers to the principal.
The priority of the new Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Roundtable is to reduce the confusing array of different labels and statements appearing on food packages but fostering agreement on scientific assessment of environmental impact.
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) said it s to publish a list of priorities to tackle the challenges of delivering sustainable food security and the scientific advances needed to overcome them.
Crop and climate experts are emphasising the need for crop diversity to protect food security in the face of climate change, as the Svalbard Global Seed Vault celebrates its first anniversary.
A major change is needed in the way food is produced, handled and disposed of in order to feed the world's rising population and protect the environment as prices are expected to remain volatile, according to a new UN report.
Depending on the consumers to drive the food system down a more sustainable route is misplaced as government, food manufacturers and other industry players need to take the wheel, according to a new report.
The UK’s Soil Association has decided to allow organic air freighted food to carry its certification mark, despite proposing in 2007 that it should not be certified unless it also met fair trade and ethical standards.
The European food industry is in discussions over establishing a roundtable on sustainable production and consumption throughout the food chain, and is inviting input from the Czech presidency.
The trend for eating frogs’ legs is putting frog populations in Indonesia under pressure, according to Australian scientists who are calling for better resources management and mandatory certification at the point of processing.
Shifting production closer to the customer and developing products to reduce resource consumption are among the measures introduced by Chr Hansen which it says has improved its environmental record, whilst adding value to the business.
More research is needed on innovative raw material sourcing and alternative uses, according to a new report on how chemistry can contribute to sustainable food supply, which sees novel enzyme technology is a key area of development for ingredients, processing...
Danisco is now offering sustainable options on its palm-based emulsifiers, as palm oil produced at certified sustainable plantations enters the marketplace.
Shareholders are increasingly looking for evidence that a food company has green projects ingrained in the management strategy, says Nizo Food Research, which is organising a workshop on how to make sustainability profitable.
Food and beverage manufacturers are adopting more sustainable practices and seek to communicate these to consumers. But are well-meaning consumers confused by the many different green and ethical logos in use?
After gaining novel foods approval in the EU, baobab is tipped to become a billion dollar industry. Stephen Daniells speaks to William Smith from Afriplex to find out what foods baobab fruit pulp is turning up in, and whether supply can match the demand.
The first shipment of sustainable palm oil is set to arrive in Europe next week; but even if manufacturers do not use the oil directly they can still buy into the movement with certificates that allow them to state their support, explained the RSPO president.
UK food manufacturers can now source soy that is certified as Non-GM and Responsibly Produced, as two new standards have been developed in response to retailer demands.
Organic has an image problem. As some consumers fear they are, quite literally, priced out of the farmers market, it’s time to stir up more debate about organic as a set of principals, not as a status symbol.
In the final part of our special series on sustainability, FoodNavigator considers the value of a dedicated focus on sustainability science in the food industry.
In the second in our special series on sustainability, FoodNavigator considers how far a company should go in making green sourcing claims, if it is not able to ensure that every ingredient and production process is as green as can be.
