Most environmental impacts in food systems originate at primary production, yet emissions reductions are
difficult to attribute across intricate agri-food supply chains due to double-counting risks and lack of
harmonisation. This PPP develops a robust chain-of-custody method for global standards, enabling consistent
accounting and credible claims. It establishes a level playing field, links reductions to incentives, and accelerates
systemic sustainability transitions in agri-food supply chains

The environmental impact of our food lies mainly in primary plant and animal production. Logically, the key to a
more sustainable food system also lies in these stages. However, companies that incentivise emissions reduction
are mainly located much further downstream in the food chain (e.g. brand manufactures and retailers), making
it difficult for producers to physically link and claim emissions of a food product with sustainability at the primary
production level. The reason is because reductions cannot easily be passed between the many links in a long and
interconnected food chain; there is a high risk of double counting.
To accurately account for reductions, a segregated flow is required to guarantee a physical link. But in many
cases, this is not financially or operationally feasible. The difficulty for upstream operators to claim reductions
results in them being less incentivised to undertake reduction activities for downstream actors. Moreover,
unjustified claims can be made, and at the same time genuine reductions cannot receive the (financial)
recognition they deserve. Unjustified claims receive extensive media and non-government organisation attention
(e.g. De Correspondent’s investigation into FrieslandCampina’s emissions reduction claims), and negatively affect
consumer perception and trust in agri-food products; they thus can cause significate harm to the entire agri-food
sector.
Simply, there is no level playing field, and this hinders efforts to create a more sustainable food system.
Moreover, there is much unclear when passing reductions between supply-chain partners, and the information
is often difficult to interpret as there is no common language.
Within this context, the goal of this project is to develop a widely accepted chain-of-custody (CoC) methodology,
working in collaboration with the agri-food sectors, and have this implemented in globally accepted and widely
used standards, such as those of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the Greenhouse Gas
(GHG) Protocol, and the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) method which are used by many actors in the
agri-food supply chain. This will allow reductions to be linked to incentives and accelerate the sustainable
transition of our food system.
The project will establish the missing operational layer that will enable primary producers to consistently
translate reductions into claims, incentives and investment signals across agri-food supply chains. In doing so,
the project will ensure sustainability is no longer an exercise in accounting, but rather underpins coordinated
system change.
The specific goals of this project are:
- Define a robust CoC methodology;
- Create a common language/knowledge base based on the latest developments so that chain links speak
the same language when actors pass on reductions;
- Develop examples of how to implement the CoC for each type of chain link (e.g., primary producer,
trader, processor, retailer);
- Establish minimum requirements for what constitutes ‘reduced emissions’ and how such claims must
be substantiated;
- Create an inspiration list of possible (significant) emissions reduction opportunities (including associated
chain links/CoCs) that companies can unlock and implement using incentives