Sustainability metrics are becoming a necessary tool for communicating with your supply chain about progress toward sustainable production, and more frequently, downstream partners are already requesting such information. The GFLI now offers a methodology for companies to validate their company-specific ingredient or product, aligned with the GFLI methodology and with the possibility to have this data included in the GFLI database.
Manager
The Global Feed LCA Institute (GFLI)
The GFLI database currently consists of over 1800 datasets of all major feed ingredients, populated in part by baseline statistical datasets as well as by data-in providers, following the principle of life-cycle analysis (LCA) to scope the emissions of an ingredient’s production cycle (from cradle-to-gate). Data providers create a bridge between statistics and industry, creating representative data based in part on primary figures. This is a way for the industry to be proactive in gathering relevant data and showcasing not only a ‘current situation’ overview of the emissions related to their ingredient production, but also supports continuous improvement tracking over the years.
INCREASING DATASETS THROUGH “DATA-IN PROJECTS”
Through sectoral data provision projects (i.e. “data-in projects”), a consortium of companies, an association of member companies, or research institutes create a proposal for collecting the relevant data for a list of ingredients which will be calculated per the GFLI methodology. Following the GFLI procedures for a data-in project, a complete LCA inventory is created, which can then be shared with the GFLI for data integration. All data provided to GFLI is handled confidentially, with no traceability to your company facilities. Sectoral data-in projects allow for companies to take their first steps towards their sustainability journey, with primary data supplementing available secondary data. Using representative averages is relevant as a fall-back option when it is not possible to access primary data because high quality averaged data can still reflect the sector’s efforts to achieve sustainable production.
WHAT’S THE RELEVANCY OF PARTICIPATING IN A SECTORAL DATA-IN PROJECT?
• Sectoral datasets provide a benchmark for any governmental body, research institutes, and companies, that look for high-quality secondary datasets to understand the averaged emissions of an ingredient, influencing research and regulatory decisions made on representative data;
• Validation of datasets through the rigorous procedures of the GFLI, not only verifying that it is PEF & FAO-LEAP compliant – but also fully integrated into the latest versions of software tools Simapro & OpenLCA – making abovementioned benchmarking attainable;
• Participating in sectoral data-in projects allows for a unified approach toward data collection, and creates the possibility to improve upon the existing GFLI methodology framework, i.e. make approaches more specific, or find alternative and new pathways to convey sustainability metrics for specific ingredients (read chapter 6 of the Procedures document);
• May also support the collection of company-specific data for your own sustainability journey & branded data;
• Making sustainability metrics more attainable for smaller companies participating in consortium-led data-in projects.
• Insights on the supply chain, allowing structured discussions with upstream partners for representative figures up to the feed manufacturing process. This due diligence for processes allows the sector to become the driver of sustainability;
• Availability of secondary datasets for back-up of data for companies where primary data is not available, in order to comply with (inter)national regulations, supply chain demands, and voluntary programs (i.e. CSRD, SBTi, GHG protocol, PACT framework, etc.), as well as communication strategies within the full supply chain.
COMPANY-SPECIFIC ‘BRANDED DATA’
Sustainability metrics are becoming a necessary tool for communicating with your supply chain about progress toward sustainable production, and more frequently, downstream partners are already requesting such information. The GFLI now offers a methodology for companies to validate their company-specific ingredient or product, aligned with the GFLI methodology and with the possibility to have this data included in the GFLI database.
The GFLI branded data is a mostly primary source-driven venture that allows companies to disseminate a representative LCA of their ingredient or product. Notably, the ‘chain of custody’ is considered for a full production cycle (scope 3), which means that the collected data should not only present on-site emissions, but also the production steps of the ingredient before it reached the facility (i.e. for rendering ingredients, some level of data is required from the slaughterhouses’ processes and animals).
All the details for the methodological approaches required, as well as the procedures for completing a branded data-in project can be find on our webpage.
WHY IS BRANDED DATA RELEVANT?
• Insight on own processes
Gain insight on your own product’s or ingredient’s processes, and identify hotspots that contribute to the impact of the product. These insights can be considered quick wins as long-term investments may be considered in order to produce more sustainably.
• Insights on the supply chain
The animal feed sector is centred in a large supply chain for animal sourced food. With demands coming from downstream partners, the feed industry is challenged to have their own data in order. These insights allow for structural discussions with the upstream supply partners and create a due diligence for processes, allowing you to become the driver for sustainability.
• Sustainability reporting
The beforementioned insights can also be utilized for sustainability reporting. The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) is one example where companies can proactively and voluntarily set targets for emission reductions and track their progress. In the European Union, the publication of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) will make it mandatory for any company to report on their efforts on sustainable production. Following the GFLI methodology and calculating your own LCA allows you to report for both initiatives.
• Validation
All the datasets coming into the GFLI database are internally reviewed by the GFLI, as well as independently verified by third-party certification bodies. These rigorous procedures ensure high quality data that conforms to the GFLI methodology and is compatible for meaningful comparisons within the GFLI database. Although comparing company-specific datasets is not straightforward due to the influence of management differences and other inputs that may impact the figures, comparing with averaged datasets that considered these different processes allows you to benchmark your ingredients/products with the average.
• Marketing and communication
The datasets created, the insights gained, and the emission factors resulting from the LCA allows for communicating (benchmarked) results. This information is relevant for customer and supply chain communications, as well as for marketing purposes with respect to the branded product. The GFLI recently published its logo use policy and license agreement, which includes a new logo configured to communicate figures calculated with the use of the GFLI database.
Are you already working on calculating your scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions? Or are you participating in the voluntary Science Based Targets initiative? Read GFLI’s methodology and procedures for a branded data-in projects on the GFLI website and get started working toward GFLI-compliancy!
About Laura Nobel
Laura Nobel is a manager at the Global Feed LCA Institute. Together with a small, dedicated team, she engages in a lot of the aspects necessary to maintain and grow a non-profit in a quickly developing discipline. Her main tasks are the management of the Technical Management Committee, branded data, documentations and communications.
