Summary
Details
- Global
Mandatory: Participation in responsible sourcing and dairy programmes.
Functionally mandatory: Farm-level sustainability assessments.
Stronger expectations: Core dairy suppliers.
Implementation is closely tied to supplier relationships and programme engagement.
Deep dive
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What’s Required
Ben & Jerry’s has developed a values-driven supply chain governance model centred on sustainable dairy sourcing and agricultural practices. The framework combines supplier standards, farmer engagement programmes and sustainability targets aligned with broader corporate climate commitments under Unilever.
The architecture includes:
Responsible Sourcing Policy and Supplier Code.
Dairy sustainability programmes (including Caring Dairy).
Climate and regenerative agriculture initiatives.
This creates a farmer-centric governance system, where environmental performance is driven through direct engagement with agricultural producers.
1. Emissions Disclosure, Measurement and Reduction
Suppliers, particularly dairy farmers, are required or expected to:
Measure and manage greenhouse gas emissions from livestock and land use.
Track feed, manure management and energy use.
Implement emissions reduction practices.
Key mechanisms include:
Farm-level sustainability assessments.
Participation in emissions reduction programmes.
Alignment with climate targets and net-zero ambitions.
This establishes farm-level emissions management, particularly focused on methane and agricultural emissions.
2. Scope 3 Governance and Value Chain Integration
Ben & Jerry’s integrates supplier and farm performance into its Scope 3 emissions strategy, with dairy as the dominant emissions source.
Suppliers must:
Provide data on farming practices and environmental performance.
Reduce emissions associated with milk production.
Align with sustainability and climate commitments.
This creates a direct dependency on farm-level performance, where:
Dairy emissions drive Scope 3.
Farmer practices directly influence corporate climate outcomes.
The model reflects a producer-engagement-based Scope 3 governance approach, rather than a purely digital or platform-driven system.
3. Data Systems and Monitoring Architecture
Unlike fully centralized digital platforms, Ben & Jerry’s relies on:
Programme-based data collection (e.g., Caring Dairy assessments).
Farm-level surveys and sustainability metrics.
Third-party tools and partnerships.
Suppliers must:
Provide data on environmental practices.
Participate in monitoring programmes.
Support transparency at the farm level.
This creates a programme-driven data system, with increasing movement toward structured emissions tracking.
4. Land Use, Regenerative Agriculture and Biodiversity
Suppliers must:
Implement regenerative agricultural practices.
Improve soil health and biodiversity.
Reduce chemical inputs and manage water sustainably.
Key focus areas include:
Grazing management and pasture systems.
Soil carbon and ecosystem health.
Transition toward regenerative dairy farming.
This creates a regenerative agriculture governance layer, linking environmental outcomes to farming practices.
5. Animal Welfare and Integrated Sustainability Requirements
A distinctive feature is the integration of:
Animal welfare standards.
Environmental sustainability requirements.
Farmer livelihoods and social criteria.
Suppliers must:
Meet animal welfare benchmarks.
Maintain sustainable herd management practices.
Align with broader ethical sourcing principles.
This results in a multi-dimensional governance model, combining environmental and ethical standards.
6. Audit, Verification and Monitoring Systems
Compliance is enforced through:
Programme participation requirements (e.g., Caring Dairy).
Farm assessments and benchmarking.
Third-party verification where applicable.
Suppliers must:
Provide access to farm data.
Demonstrate compliance with programme criteria.
Implement improvements over time.
This creates a continuous improvement monitoring model, rather than strict audit-driven enforcement.
7. Procurement Integration and Supplier Relationships
Environmental performance is integrated into sourcing through:
Long-term supplier relationships with dairy farmers.
Programme participation as a condition of supply.
Alignment with sustainability standards.
Suppliers are effectively required to:
Participate in sustainability programmes.
Engage in emissions reduction and regenerative practices.
This creates a relationship-based procurement model, with strong emphasis on collaboration rather than purely contractual enforcement.
8. Upstream Cascade Requirements
The framework directly targets:
Individual dairy farmers.
Agricultural cooperatives.
Feed and input systems.
Suppliers must:
Extend sustainability practices across farm operations.
Engage in continuous improvement.
Support the adoption of regenerative methods.
This results in governance that operates directly at the farm level, rather than only through intermediaries.
9. Lifecycle and Product-Level Implications
The framework directly affects:
Dairy sourcing and milk production.
Agricultural emissions (especially methane).
Product carbon footprints.
Supplier performance influences:
Scope 3 emissions reporting.
Brand sustainability positioning.
Consumer-facing claims.
This aligns farm-level practices with product-level sustainability outcomes.
Important Deadlines
Key timelines include:
2030 climate and emissions reduction targets.
Ongoing expansion of regenerative agriculture adoption.
Continuous sustainability reporting cycles.
Suppliers are expected to demonstrate ongoing progress and improvement.
Current Status
The framework is active and evolving, with increasing focus on:
Quantifying farm-level emissions.
Scaling regenerative agriculture practices.
Strengthening data collection and reporting.
Compared to more digitised systems, it remains programme-led but increasingly data-driven.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Enforcement mechanisms include:
Required corrective actions.
Potential loss of supplier status.
Exclusion from sourcing programmes.
This creates a link between programme participation and market access.
Examples of Known Violations
Typical failure modes include:
Non-participation in sustainability programmes.
Failure to meet animal welfare or environmental standards.
Lack of improvement in farm practices.
These issues affect supplier eligibility and continuity.
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