The sustainability labels introduced recently by Agrifirm Feed give stakeholders information on the sustainability performance of the company’s new feed concepts and products. This step by Agrifirm makes an important contribution towards improving the sustainability of our food. The labels also promote transparency within the sector and towards supply chain partners.

Five types of sustainability label have been developed:

• Nutrient efficiency,
• Animal health
• Climate,
• Recycling
• Resource sustainability

Protocol and method

Blonk Consultants helped Agrifirm to develop the protocol and method for preparing the sustainability labels. Three positive and three negative scores show how a product or feed concept performs in each of the five sustainability themes:

Positive: Substantial, High and Very High
Negative: Substantial, High and Very High

These scores define ‘thresholds’, which give a realistic impression of the impact of the product or feed concept. This means, for example, that a product or concept scores positively on a sustainability label when there is a significant improvement compared with the reference situation. The scores are listed on the detailed fact sheets which have been prepared for the company’s products and feed concepts.

Summary fact sheets

Each sustainability label has its own icon and gives specific information on the sustainability performance of the feed concept or product concerned. For each new product and concept a summary fact sheet is produced which shows the scores for the five sustainability labels. These fact sheets and icons are designed and produced by Schuttelaar & Partners. The sustainability scores have already been calculated for eight of Agrifirm’s products and work is progressing on interesting new sustainable solutions for the livestock farming sector.

The fact sheets can be obtained from the Agrifirm website.

Fostering sustainability

The sustainability labels are already fully integrated across Agrifirm’s activities. When a new product or feed concept is launched the protocol is automatically implemented and a fact sheet on the five sustainability labels is produced. The sustainability label concept is an inspiring example of how a business can shape and communicate its sustainability strategy.