Farming and food supply library

In September 2011, Welsh shoppers became the first in the UK to be forced to pay a charge for single-use plastic bags. Judging by the media attention this received, it would be easy to assume that plastic bags are the biggest environmental issue of our time. However, this is not the case. In fact, there are much more pressing problems for us to deal with, such as water scarcity an...

A free interactive PDF that reveals the interconnectivity of sustainability issues within the food and beverage supply chain. Our Environmental Sustainability Matrix will help food and beverage manufacturers and retailers of all sizes to increase their understanding of issues relating to sustainability while assessing the impact of their own supply chains on the environment. The Matrix outline...

As 2009 draws to a close, we look at some of the outstanding examples of sustainable practice across the food and grocery supply chain. Despite the global credit crunch, the food and grocery industry has remained committed to reducing waste, environmental impact and promoting sustainability. At our annual convention in October 2009, we asked an audience of 600 senior food and grocery dir...

Over the past year, the three partners have worked together in Peru, Tanzania, Ukraine and South Africa to begin this process, building on work undertaken by SAB Miller and WWF in the Czech Republic and South Africa in 2008. In each country detailed water footprints have been undertaken to provide greater insight and an in-depth understanding of the risks faced. With this knowledge, the partners...

Food inflation is back in the headlines and, as usual, the source is water. In 2007, the Australian wheat and rice crop was almost wiped out by drought, coinciding with low rainfall across Canada and Europe. Global wheat prices doubled and Sam’s Club in the USA began to ration rice. In 2010, Russia is set to lose a quarter of its wheat yield to drought. The floods in Pakistan will cause t...

More often than not, sustainability issues are closely related. Water and carbon are a good example. This article explores just how the two are inexorably and critically linked. Water and power generation + droughts = power shortage Water plays a vital role in the energy generation sector. In the UK, nearly 30% of water abstraction is undertaken in connection with generating electric...

We can expect dramatic changes in the energy sector in the coming decades. This report encourages businesses, both in the energy sector and beyond, to look at how this will impact on their firms. The transition towards a low carbon economy and the interim volatility in traditional fossil fuel markets presents businesses with numerous risks but also opportunities. Download now Date: June ...

Anyone who wonders why healthcare was the hottest topic in President’s Obama’s first year in office needs only to look at the figures. US healthcare spending broke through the $2.2 trillion barrier in 2007; that’s more than eight times the amount spent in 1980. It’s not just an American problem. Healthcare costs are spiralling around the world for a variety of reasons including the ageing p...

Includes: An introduction to water as an issue The key aspects of water management A water resource navigation chart A directory of global organisations featuring names, activities and web links There is growing awareness of the importance of water along the whole of the food and grocery supply chain; from the farm through to the consumer, including manufacturing and retai...

It is inevitable that water will become a business continuity issue for many companies in the future. As demand starts to outstrip supply, everyone will need to become more efficient at preserving water. Already, the leading businesses of tomorrow are already embarking on this journey. Water scarcity will rise to between 50-65% by 2025, according to the United Nations. Population gro...