Step 4: Reduce the Footprint

The fourth step is for companies to take action and reduce their environmental footprint, by engaging with the entire supply chain from source to shelf.

IDH takes a proactive role in supporting companies with the following:

  • Selecting a geographical focus based on where your biggest environmental impact is; 
  • Exploring solutions to reduce your footprint and building a business case for each actor in your supply chain;
  • Formulating tailored action plans, including specific targets for reducing your environmental footprint; 
  • Supporting farmer resilience; 
  • Fostering dialogue, data sharing and collaboration among suppliers, manufacturers, distributers and retailers.  

Examples of climate action include:

  • Food transportation: where possible use sea freight rather than air freight;
  • Investing in a eater recycling system with zero discharge into the environment;
  • Implementing Carbon Budgets;
  • Optimising energy consumption in processing facilities;
  • Installing solar panels on farms;
  • Using electricity instead of gas for operational systems;
  • Installing automated feeders to reduce feed input.