Food Supply Chain Sustainability Framework
05 November 2025Manufacturers and IGD come together to develop a Framework to support acceleration of progress against sustainability goals.
Six manufacturers, along with IGD, have developed a Food Supply Chain Sustainability Framework for sustainability priorities that can be relevant to manufacturers, brands and retailers. The first supporting guidance is for manufacturers with their suppliers.
The Food Supply Chain Sustainability Framework self-assessment template supports businesses to do a self-appraisal, giving them a clear understanding of their level of maturity against each of the seven topics. This can then give further clarity in conversations between suppliers and customers.
Organising key standards on a maturity curve, to support progress
IGD has worked with the sustainability and procurement leads from Bakkavor, The Billington Group, The Compleat Food Group, Greencore, Premier Foods and Samworth Brothers, to scope the Framework and develop the guidance. It brings together published best practice and guidance for key sustainability priorities and has been informed by consultation with experts at relevant NGOs (WRAP, WWF), standard owners (SBTi, FNET) and topic experts (3Keel).
It is based on the opportunity to reduce complexity and give shared reference points on sustainability priorities for suppliers and manufacturing customers, supporting greater collective progress to net zero. We believe the Framework and its guidance will provide confidence and clarity in supplier-customer relationships, to identify current status and agree shared vision and commitments for progress up the maturity curve. The Framework builds from the FDF Ambition 2030 action pillars and maturity curve launched in October 2024.
“As a group of manufacturers working with IGD we see this Framework and guidance as a first step to supporting sustainability commitments as part of joint business planning, making it easier for procurement teams and both businesses in a commercial supply chain relationship. We hope next year to expand this to other sectors”
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