________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
using emissions data as a sourcing signal, not just an ESG metric, are making better decisions regardless of their climate ambitions. Additionally, procurement teams who go through the work of engaging suppliers on climate- cleaning up supplier spend data, reconciling vendor accounts, defining relevant contacts at each, building consistent outreach campaigns, and requesting supplier data- will find that these processes well serve procurement needs across the board.
Are there any standout examples of companies or initiatives in the food and beverage sector that are getting this right?
The honest answer is that the industry still has a long way to go. The gap between Scope 3 ambition and actual reduction remains significant across the sector, and with 2030 fast approaching, the time pressure is real.
That said, there are approaches emerging that point in the right direction. WBCSD’ s work on Avoided Emissions highlights procurement-led models where brands fund farm-level interventions directly. Feed additives reduce enteric methane and manure emissions while lowering feed costs for farmers, connecting the buyer, farmer, and measurement system through a single purchasing decision. Mars’ programs with smallholder farmers across cocoa and mint point in a similar direction, bundling income diversification, agroforestry, and training together, recognizing that farmlevel decarbonization doesn’ t work unless the economics work for the farmer first. That alignment of incentives is what’ s been missing, and it’ s starting to emerge.
Where we’ re seeing the most progressive organizations move is in getting full Scope 3 visibility, real data across food and non-food suppliers in one place, rather than fragmented estimates. That’ s precisely why we partnered with HowGood: to connect farm-level footprinting for ingredients with supplier engagement across the rest of the value chain. When you can see the full picture, you can finally start making decisions that actually reduce it.
16