Companies are increasingly being called to account for their role within society. Many companies therefore produce sustainability reports, in which they report on the impact of the company on society. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) publishes globally-applicable guidelines clarifying the indicators that such reports must contain.
Early in 2008, a group began developing guidelines for the food-processing industry. Half of the group comprises representatives from companies (including Nestlé, ADM, Tyson Foods, Danisco) and the other half is made up of interest groups (including the World Wide Fund for Nature, unions, animal welfare organisations, and Fair Trade organisations).
LEI has been asked to guide this process. LEI has a great deal of expertise in the measurement of the sustainability performance of companies (see for example www.duurzaamheidscan.nl). LEIâs contribution is funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality.
Last summer, comments were requested through the Internet regarding the first results of the working group. In the summer of 2009, a final draft of the guidelines will be available for public comments. The definitive guidelines will be published in early 2010.
