The sustainability market size is expected to grow from USD 8.7 billion in 2019 to USD 28.9 billion by 2024. How sustainable a product or service is, will mater in all consumer decisions in the near future. We believe that there is no single sustainability rating that supports consumers to make informed decisions at the point of sale. Our new sustainability rating uses data proof points across the entire food production process from sourcing through to manufacturing. To represent this system we have designed a standardised label, that allows consumers to better understand the environmental impact of their food purchases.
Team
Robin Ormerod – Physics with Innovation
Mya Patel – Anthropology with Innovation
Elena Whitehead – Psychology with Innovation
Inspiration
We wanted to
- Find a way to enable all consumers to make informed decisions about the products they buy.
- Make sustainable buying accessible to all (not just high-end, expensive options)
- Provide more information at point of purchase
- Expose lack of transparency and traceability in food industry
Process
- Discussed with manufacturers, distributors, policy and environment experts and academics.
- Talked to consumers, carried out focus groups to see what they expected and wanted from such a system, as well as their current understand/misunderstandings of the food system
- Inspiration from existing labels including nutrient traffic light system
- All in order to design a system that fit with how producers work as well as provided consumers with the necessary info.
- Framework with a set of principles and pillars necessary to uphold our system and ensure its success.
- An initial measurable rating with a label – presented different versions of these for feedback
Desirability/viability
By developing a standardised sustainability rating system across the entire food production process different parts of the supply chain ca record their sustainability from sourcing through manufacturing all the way to the point of sale. To represent this system we have designed a standardised label that allows consumers to better understand the environmental impact of their food purchases. In order to achieve this universal standard we intend on creating a framework and white paper to influence government legislation. This system would create a nationwide database on environmental impact which would allow for further innovation in sustainability.
Impact
We want the food industry to become more transparent and more sustainable.
Our original focus was to empower all consumers to make more sustainable choices.
By implementing a standardised rating system for sustainability in the food industry we hope to hold producers, manufacturers and distributors accountable for their practices as well celebrate sustainable initiatives and make these the new norm. Ultimately, we want to help the government reach its sustainability goals and to make the economy more circular.