Helping Organic Businesses Be More Sustainable

1. Organic Centre Wales project:
Helping Organic businesses lead
the way in sustainability
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

2. Why?
•
•
•
•
•
Business – improve sales, financial performance and
reputation
Environment – reduce dependence on non-renewables and
maintain natural capital
Suppliers – reduce costs, risk and carbon footprints
Staff – boost morale and provide strong leadership
Customers – working on their behalf to make their choices
more sustainable.
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

3. Surely organic is better anyway?
‘organic shops have always produced surprising quantities of
waste...’
‘...bemusing since the shop specialises in stock from local
growers who would presumably benefit from the waste as
feed for their livestock or at least for compost.’
Tristram Stuart (2009)
Waste - Uncovering the Global Food Scandal Penguin
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

4. Designed to give practical support to the sector
Market analysis and
Mapping of Supply
Chains
Welsh Organic Healthcheck scores
Sourcing Strategy
Supplier Best Practice
Supplier Assessment
Consumer waste
Health checks and
footprints ( 25
companies)
Collaboration
Management
Disclosure
5
Sustainability KPI's
4
Workf orce…
3
Community Support
2
Sustainability …
1
0
Organic Status
GHG emissions
Transport
Energy
Network
Water
Warehousing
Solid Waste
Operations
Planning
Average
Packaging
Company impacts
Best scores
Sustainability Opportunities
Worst scores
3.5
L. S&OP Phase 2
3
Sustainability Action
Plans (10 companies)
C. S&OP Phase 1
J. Sustainability in Marketing 2
E 2.5
F
2
F
O 1.5
R
T 1
I. Prodn Efficiency
B. Logistics
E. Sustainability in Marketing 1
1
D. Sustainability in
Procurement
K. Design Sustainability
H. Alternative Energy
F. Strategic Option2
to
M. Ongoing Audit
G. Strategic option1
A. Corporate Sustainability
0.5
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
Sustainability Impact
Forums designed to embed this
change, evolve and grow new ways
of working
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248
3.5

5. Wales Organic Sector overview
Plus: Specialist
Wholesalers and
Retailers
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

6. Welsh Organic healthcheck scores show a range of focus and
achievement
Management
Sourcing Strategy
Disclosure
5
4.5
Supplier Best Practice
Sustainability KPI's
4
Supplier Assessment
Workforce engagement
3.5
3
2.5
Consumer waste
Community Support
2
1.5
Collaboration
Sustainability…
1
0.5
0
Organic Status
GHG emissions
Transport
Energy
Network
Water
Warehousing
Solid Waste
Operations
Planning
Average
Packaging
Company impacts
Best scores
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
Industry specific
focus on:
•Meat (Beef.
Lamb, Chicken)
•Dairy
•Vegetables & fruit
•Process
•Wholesale/Retail
•Home furnishings
01970 622248

7. All businesses show there are opportunities to be addressed
Welsh Organic Healthcheck scores
100
Advanced
Benchmark Score
75
Developing
50
25
Stagnant
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
Supplier No.
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

8. The generic end-to-end Supply Chain map is used as a basis
Materials
Energy
Permitted
inputs
Processing &
Packing
Waste
Retailers
DC
Local
warehouse
Distributors Warehouse
Farmers
Market
Landfill
Retail
store
Inciner
ation
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

9. Dairy Supply Chain footprint
Silage
Grass
Bought-in
Feed
3
Organic
Slurry
Other
5
6
7
Milking
Parlour
Farm
2
3
Energy
Water
2
Cereals
Soya
Opportunities
4
1
1
Risks/poor practices
1
Wheat
1
5
NonOrganic
Waste
Milk
Collection
7
Bulk store /
tranship
6
8
Energy
Water
4
10
Packaging
Materials
Organic
Waste
12
Non13
Organic
Waste
Packing
11
Consumer
8
10
Product
transport
14
Retail store
Bulk
transport
9
11
Retailer
warehouse
9
Organic
Waste
16
Organic
Waste
NonOrganic
Waste
15
NonOrganic
Waste
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248
17

10. 1
UK source
Over
spreading
Grass
Energy
Water
UK source
Imported
1
2
Cereals
Wheat
Soya
Bought-in
Feed
3
3
Other
Organic
Slurry
5
6
Not
measuring
5
NonOrganic
Waste
Not recycled
Not
measuring
8
10
UK source
7
Not
measuring
Packaging
Materials
9
Not
optimised
Bulk
transport
Optimise
8
New formats
11
Retailer
warehouse
Bulk store /
tranship
9
Energy
Water
Excess
packaging
AD plant
4
7
Milk
Collection
6
Extra
handling
Shared
Measured and
targeted
Milking
Parlour
Farm
2
Opportunities
4
1
Silage
Risks/poor practices
1
Dairy Supply Chain footprint
10
Product
transport
Packing
16
Organic
Waste
11 Optimise
12
Organic
Waste
Non13
Organic
Waste
14
Retail store
Consumer
NonOrganic
Waste
Organic
Waste
15
NonOrganic
Waste
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248
17

11. Sustainability Action Plans
...a short document providing:
– Overview of specific business and their sub-sector
– Supply Chain Footprint map
– Issues identified and analysis
– Key opportunities and actions
– Prioritised opportunity map
– Summary of recommendations
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

12. Example: Dairy company footprint map
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

13. Example: Dairy company – Issues & Actions
Sustainability Action Plan
Dairy
Levers
Supply Chain Carbon
Area
%
Risk
Cost %
Materials
5
m
10
Sourcing &
Procurement
Inbound
Transport
On Farm
2
h
4
2
l
2
50
m
40
Process &
Packing
Primary
Transport
Secondary
Wholesale &
Retail
15
m
15
4
l
5
4
10
l
l
2
15
Consumer
End-of-life
5
3
m
l
5
2
ID Issue
Action
A1
A2
B1
B2
C1
C2
D1
D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D8
D9
E1
E2
F1
F2
G1
H1
H2
H3
H5
J1
K1
K2
Focus on using minimum gauge material
Potential to improve the sustainability of the packaging being
Source more local materials.
Join buying groups for all purchases. (see also comment
Coordinate via buying groups
Coordinate transport, and evaluate opportunities for backhaul
Measure and target key areas such as energy, water, waste,
Education/awareness and incentives to input ideas
Use boreholes, establish own reservoirs, increase water
Evaluation of current practices, benchmarking and training
Measure and apply techniques to improve quality and hence
AD for dairy, biomass, wind, solar PV, hydro if streams etc
Full recovery and re-use of slurry, maximum use of surplus
Shared labour, machinery rings, development of
Measure and target key areas such as energy, water, waste,
Focus on waste reduction and zero waste to landfill
Identify potential for joint investment and development of
Coordinate transport with other producers, and evaluate
Focus on serving local customers with shared distribution
Direct sales to key customers. Exploit export markets
Consider switch to co-ops
Direct sales to key customers. Exploit export markets
Move to all year round calving and winter feeding
More information on pack and promotional material to explain
Investigate filtered (premium price opportunity) and UHT
Provide more incentives to consumer to recycle pack
Excessive Packaging to protect product
Some packaging used eg cartons is not recyclable
Imported feedstuffs for feed
Rising input costs, especially feeds and fuel
High costs or inconvenient delivery times and quantities
Vehicle utilisation often low
Not measuring key areas and therefore uncertain of impacts and
Staff not aware of all Sustainability issues and their role
Water use not minimised
Inefficient nutrient budgeting
Soil quality not measured or improved
Renewable energy options not addressed
Farming practices not integrated
High costs for infrequent use of labour and machinery
Not measuring key areas and therefore uncertain of impacts and
Waste not targeted or recycled
Produce shipped long distances to central packing/processing
Vehicle utilisation low on outward collection leg
Products shipped long distances to customer and end consumer
Price paid for Organic produce too low to enable producer to make
Commission charged to producers deters them from using
Organic products sold as conventional due to lack of customers
Milk availability is seasonal due to grass feeding only, which leads
Consumer does not suffciently recognise benefits of Organic
Shorter shelf life of organic vs conventional
Packaging not recycled
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
Sustainability
Impact
01970 622248
H
H
H
L
L
M
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
M
H
H
M
M
H
L
M
L
M
H
H
M

14. Example: Process company - Opportunity Map
Sustainability Action Plan
Process company
Sustainability
H
H
L
H
L
0
L
M
H
H
H
H
H
H
M
H
M
H
0
M
M
H
L
M
H
H
M
M
H
H
H
£k value
5
1
1
5
20
0
10
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
30
0
10
5
5
100
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
No. of months
12
6
3
6
3
0
3
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
1
3
6
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Opportunity Map
120
100
H1
80
£k
ID
A1
A2
A3
B1
B2
B3
C1
C2
D1
D2
D3
D4
D5
D6
D7
D8
D9
E1
E2
F1
F2
G1
H1
H2
H3
H4
H5
H6
H7
J1
J2
60
40
E1
20
B2
F1
C1
F2
C2
A3
0
0
2
G1
B1
A2
4
6
A1
8
10
12
14
16
Months
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248
18

15. Ten Top Tips
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•
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•
•
•
•
•
Source the majority of supplies and services locally
Have an ethical or fair trade policy with suppliers
Order in supplies in bulk containers or on pallets
Avoid packaging or use returnables or packaging from renewable
resources
Measure and monitor:
–
–
–
Electricity and fuel use, with targets for reduction
Water use, with a target for reduction
All waste – set a reduction target, and always recycle
Run active company suggestion scheme on sustainability ideas
Ensure all vehicles leave with full loads
Ensure vehicle tyres are at the correct pressure – Regularly!
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

16. Where next?
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•
•
•
•
Think about it!
Join the web forum http://www.weirtscs.com/organicforum/index.php
Let us (OCW) know if you would like to receive a
Sustainability Toolkit
Join groups – e.g. Twitter group @GuardianSustBiz
Read Tristram Stuart (2009) Waste – Uncovering the
Global Food Scandal Penguin
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248

17. •
With thanks to the team from Weir tscs, the funders and the
Better Organic Business Links Steering group for their time
and input.
Project funded by the Welsh Government and The
European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development:
Europe Investing in Rural Areas.
An Organic Centre Wales project with Weir tscs
01970 622248