Quantis + partners ramp up food sustainability data project, launching WFLDB Phase 3

Accounting for approximately 27% of global GHGs, our worldwide food system is ripe for change. Indeed, transformation of the food system is the strongest lever we have to limit global warming to 1.5°C. To transition to more resilient and sustainable models, agri-food companies need sustainability strategies that are based on robust environmental data — data that reflects the influence of farming practices and supply chain interventions, allowing companies to track progress over time. We’re pleased to announce the launch of the World Food LCA Database’s third strategic phase to bring food environmental data to the next level of impact.

The World Food LCA Database (WFLDB) is a longstanding initiative spearheaded by Quantis with key corporate players in the agri-food space. For 8 years already, the WFLDB has been the go-to database providing sustainability managers and corporate decision-makers with the robust data they need to understand their products’ impacts all along the lifecycle, and build ambitious and relevant sustainability strategies. The third strategic phase of WFLDB will increase the number and granularity of datasets as well as ensure data quality through an independent inspection and certification body.

Agri-food companies need sustainability strategies that are based on robust environmental data

To better support agri-food companies’ decision-making and accelerate the transition to a more resilient food system, the World Food LCA Database Phase 3 project will focus on three strategic objectives:

Increase the granularity of existing datasets by introducing various farming practices and supply chain interventions
Continue to fill in data gaps for a representative coverage of the food value chain
Maintain, update and improve datasets developed in Phases 1 and 2

Joining Quantis on this three-year collaborative initiative are 7 corporate partners including General Mills, Mars Incorporated, Nestlé, The Coca Cola Company, PepsiCo, and Unilever, as well as Control Union Certifications.

Ensuring data quality with farm-level insights

For this third phase of the initiative, Quantis has partnered with Control Union Certifications, an independent inspection and certification body focused on developing services around the sustainability of the agriculture, forestry and textile industries. Drawing on its extensive sector expertise and experience developing and implementing private sustainability programs, Control Union Certifications will verify the WFLDB datasets and help define relevant farming typologies and development of representative datasets.

Datasets from the World Food LCA Database are currently available to project stakeholders, and WFLDB Phase 3 remains open to new corporate members.