Sustainability has become one of the most important influencing variables, especially in terms of decision-making mechanisms, with many different objectives such as combating climate change and maintaining a more natural environment. For this reason, while sustainability has an important place for every sector today, sustainable food efforts have also reached a very important point.
Before making a definition for sustainability in the food industry, it is necessary to briefly explain what the concept of sustainability is. As a concept that was established in 1987, sustainability means creating our own opportunities while meeting today’s needs, without harming the needs of future generations and without taking away their ability to meet their needs and without consuming today’s resources.
As understood from the concept of sustainability, there is a sense that resources should not be depleted and that future generations should be able to find resources in the same way as we can find them. This concept and projection have a structure that should be applied exactly in the food industry. Therefore, in this sense, sustainability in the food industry constitutes a very important framework.
How is Sustainability in the Food Industry Formed?
While companies, firms and organizations in many different sectors have been trying to determine their sustainability performance with the sustainability reports they have obtained through GRI (Global Reporting Initiative) standards, this number has always increased until today. In this context, especially among the European Union countries, the same approach is followed in terms of developing sustainable food studies.
In terms of Turkey, although a similar approach is tried to be carried out to achieve sustainability in the food industry, it can be seen that especially the construction sector in our country has a sustainability orientation rather than the food sector. For example, while many different construction companies are carrying out studies such as green building projects, the building materials sector is accelerating its Environmental Product Declaration Certification studies, known as EPD certification, thanks to the ISO 14025 standard.
While such great developments are taking place in different sectors, Turkey has not yet realized a significant breakthrough in terms of the food industry, and the sustainability structure in the food industry has not been fully achieved. Certainly, some companies have started to attach importance to carbon footprint calculations, while some companies aim to reduce greenhouse gases through local projects. However, in the European Union countries, EPD certifications for many products such as bread, soda, vegetables/fruit, ready-to-eat foods, and rice have started to take their place in sustainability frameworks in the food industry.
In the European Union, there are 132 EPD certificates and over 200 sustainable production certificates for food, while this figure is very low in Turkey. In Turkey, steps should be taken by the leaders of the sector instead of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This is because sustainable production and sustainable food will provide both environmental and social advantages, as well as economic advantages. In sectors such as agriculture and food, which have significant impacts on health, the consumer will be able to access information more easily on the supply chain and production stage of the product they use on a daily basis.
Scopes of Study on Sustainability in the Food Industry
While organizations have many missions in terms of sustainability, many details such as research, development, innovation, social responsibilities, economic accountability, and environmental responsibility should be emphasized. At this point, if waste generation is considered as an example, the food sector has a great responsibility as the sector that produces the highest waste in terms of environmental impact. For this reason, many steps should be taken within the scope of sustainability studies in the food industry, such as waste management, social responsibilities, clean food production, carbon emission reduction, trainings, and new projects.
The problem of waste in the food industry will be mentioned again, not only in the industrial field, but also in the food use phase of societies, creating more waste in food than necessary and providing the improper food supply creates a massive waste. In this sense, in order to develop a sustainable strategy in the food industry, institutions and organizations should first of all carry out spotlights and awareness-raising activities that will guide the society.
For examples of sustainability in the food industry, a product with a shelf life of 48 hours can be considered. For this product, it can be ensured that sales are made with discounts to people in need a few hours or even a day before the 48 hours expire. Again, if we focus on the packaging point in terms of examples of sustainability in the food sector, food packaging or packages should have a recycling system. In agriculture, there are many examples such as seeds or agricultural materials not having harmful chemicals that pollute the environment, using less pesticides and preferring alternative uses.
Sustainable Projects in the Food Industry
Sustainable projects in the food industry should increase in order to make the studies stronger, and people should be aware of this issue and know how to consume food correctly, obtain it correctly and manage waste correctly, both on an organizational and individual basis. Sustainable food provides both food security and nutritional assurance for society and future generations, while preserving natural resources in a more enriched way and at the same time achieving both economic and social welfare. In this respect, sustainable food requires a shift from conventional approaches to solution-based approaches from the production, packaging, transportation, and consumption of food.
In Turkey, especially considering the 17 goals within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, every different business needs to quickly realize a breakthrough in the application of sustainability in the food industry. Although our country is one of the world’s strongest countries in agriculture and food production, wrong agriculture, wrong amount of consumption and uncontrolled food activities can put both future generations and even the present in a dangerous situation.
Considering that in 2050 there will be a human population of 10-11 billion with an increase of 40% in the world population, a healthy, environmentally friendly, ethical, and social system should be established in food production. Therefore, for healthy food, it is necessary to give up the use of more land, water, and energy and, as a result, higher carbon emissions.
Within the framework of the United Nations Global Compact, important points are emphasized in terms of sustainable safety in the food industry. A food organization needs to reduce its environmental risk and environmental impact in an absolute way, and by raising awareness at this point, it should reach a structure that respects the society with happy and developing employees. A food industry that respects both its employees, society and stakeholders and respects the environment can make the world a safer place.
As it is understandable within the framework of sustainability studies in the food sector, not only production, supply, stocking, distribution, and consumption, but also sector dynamics and sector internal plan are important points. For example, it is important for a food industry organization focused on sustainability to be able to provide new opportunities for its employees in terms of sustainability training in the food indusrty. For example, among the 17 items in the United Nations Development Goals;
- Goal: No Poverty
- Goal: Zero Hunger
- Goal: Good Health and Well-Being
- Goal: Quality Education
- Goal: Gender Equality
- Goal: Clean Water and Sanitation
- Goal: Affordable and Clean Energy
- Goal: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Goal: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
- Goal: Reducing Inequalities
- Goal: Sustainable Cities and Communities
- Goal: Responsible Consumption and Production
- Goal: Climate Action
- Goal: Life Below Water
- Goal: Life on Land
- Goal: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions
- Goal: Partnerships for the Goals
items are included.
Types of Sustainability in the Food Industry
Within the framework of the types of sustainability in the food industry that can be established in terms of organizations, it is necessary to create sustainability in terms of both business culture, production, and consumption, and to include the economy in this. When you examine the sustainability reports of brands today, it can be seen that the concept of employee is often used very often. This is because sustainability must be an adopted concept in food, and for this, first, the employees and the internal structure must have adopted it.
With sustainability training activities in the food industry, a good training management within the organization and a change planning that reaches even outside can be developed. Considering the new generation’s perception of food today and the entire process of food from the source to waste, the food sector should also try to reduce the environmental consequences.
There are also many studies that need to be conducted to establish a sustainability economy in the food industry. In particular, there are details such as obtaining food, the costs used in the processing of food, recycling packaging, using less water and leaving a smaller water footprint. For example, the energy needed at many points such as production, supply and distribution should be focused on leaving a high carbon footprint and more carbon emissions due to fossil fuels. At this point, it will also be possible to gain sustainability economic advantage in the food industry with a choice such as renewable energy instead of fossil fuels.
Sustainability Services in the Food Industry
With the Greenlife Consultancy, it is possible to provide sustainability services in the food industry and you can always be supported in developing a strategy in reporting studies and creating new projects. Sustainability in the food industry has a very important place for sector organizations in terms of adapting to global development plans, reducing the impact on the environment, and creating a struggle at many different points such as global warming while considering the world.
Food industry organizations can provide very important services to the world through sustainable projects in the food industry that they will develop in a way to protect all their missions. Food industry enterprises, which also think about future generations, can provide a better awareness and a better future for them, especially in the new generation, namely Generation Z, with conscious campaigns and studies.
While the food and beverage industry in Turkey has a good power in both local and global competition, it should also create a sustainable food system that is future-oriented and easily applicable, considering the expectations of its consumers. The food sector in Turkey should continue to work towards a better future and better food through its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals today.
Within the framework of sustainability services in the food industry, you can be supported in new projects to achieve environmental sustainability and create a circular food system, and in this context, to establish a lower carbon footprint and resource efficiency in the context of climate change. Studies can be carried out in the Turkish food industry at many points such as recycling for the circular economy and reuse in packaging waste, obtaining a biodiversity conservation structure to protect the ecosystem.
Today, in terms of examples of sustainability in the food industry, food systems that take into account the society, consumers and employees are offered in a way that ensures social sustainability. In other words, within the framework of sustainable safety in the food industry, quality, nutritious and easy to consume and at the same time reliable food can be offered to consumers and employees with a transparent structure. While food safety is at a very important point today, especially for the new generation, creating a sustainable diet, achieving common sense in trade and contributing to the development of society should also be among the important goals of the sector.
For the food industry, growth and investment, and certainly profits, are also very important. In this respect, even growth in the food industry within the framework of a sustainable economy must be created in a comprehensive and sustainable framework. At this point, while the food industry in Turkey is achieving good development with its regular growth, cooperation with stakeholders and achieving significant growth in the global market can also be considered.
