Sustainability has become a buzz word in many corporate environments. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but too often buzz words become a cheap replacement for action. Implementing an environmental strategy that is core to your business model is how any company can be sustainable with success without detracting from the overall business’s goals. In fact, investing in sustainability is the way to balance growth with responsibility, while staying true to the core values that define your concept and stakeholders.
When Actus Nutrition was founded nearly 80 years ago in Dundee, Illinois, the world was a much different place. In those post-World War II boom years, the rolling hills of the Midwest were dotted with small family farms. Cheese factories popped up on rural crossroads to help quickly process the highly perishable milk before we had modern refrigeration infrastructure.
At the time, whey – a co-product from cheesemaking which is opaque white in color and about 90 percent water – was considered waste, a useless byproduct to be dumped. Subsequently, some people were even dumping whey into streams and rivers killing the fish. However, today, whey protein is a staple in the diets of many consumers, and Actus Nutrition’s core business is upcycling this key product into protein and other food ingredients.
Similar to whey’s transformation from garbage to “gold,” any company evaluating how its business can be sustainable must view environment-focused programs as economically viable strategies. How can we reduce the number of trucks on the road? How can we minimize the volume of waste we send to landfills? How can we reduce the amount of packaging we use? These are all common conversations that companies have because efficiency is also good business practice; however, developing a detailed, transparent sustainability program can feel daunting.
Through our journey, we learned some key lessons that might help your business develop a more effective and efficient program.
Without strong and accurate data, you are flying blind. With sustainability, quality of data defines success—it’s not about collecting as much information as possible but focusing on what truly matters.
When Actus first set out to improve the supply chain of an industry deeply entrenched in traditional methods, we knew we needed high-quality data to develop solutions. Initially, our farmer surveys were broad and overly general, leading to unhelpful data and wasted resources. This experience taught us that focused, clear questions are key.
Collecting the kind of data that matters takes time and investment. For example, farm greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) are computed by collecting and digitizing raw farm data, scrubbing it, running statistical process control checks, and then entering it into specific farm emission models.
Our approach is simple but effective: set clear goals, ensure accurate data, and engage farmers through feedback loops to make sustainability a measurable, shared commitment that advances progress throughout our supply chain.
GHG footprints are then generated and recorded. Without quality data, proper collection and scrubbing, the entire process becomes nothing more than spoiled milk. Additional investment is required to achieve these proper methods, but they are the key to developing the right programs.
While sustainability goals are essential, we avoid lofty ambitions that aren’t backed by action. Instead, we focus on creating actionable outcomes; stop talking and start DOING.
The best way to push for action? Discuss what these efforts can mean for the financial bottom line. Positive environmental practices and making money do not have to be mutually exclusive. If you’re investing in meaningful data collection practices, make sure you use them to transform your data into concrete, actionable steps that lead to profitable solutions.
Creating buy in without “You Must Do This” language is critical.
In our case, we’ve been able to work with skeptical farmers by being steadfast in our approach and clearly detailing the benefit: farmers have an opportunity to secure better customers and favorable pricing – two most common priorities – by being transparent in their practices and open to adjusting.
Our partner farmers have long recognized that sustainable practices are smart business. Efficient feed management and responsible manure practices not only make good economic sense but also help reduce carbon footprints.
For many in the agriculture industry, “sustainability” has become synonymous with being a tax. On-farm improvements can be costly and time consuming, leading many farmers to become hesitant to invest in unfamiliar projects or changes. On the other side of the equation, end-consumers care about where their food comes from, and many have shown a willingness to pay a premium for products that align with their values. Consequently, retailers care as well.
To create buy in, we found it is critical to take the extra time to communicate effectively with all stakeholders to ensure everyone understands what is at stake and how we can all benefit.
Communication is key and creating a feedback loop with suggestions is essential to maintaining an effective sustainability program. Do not just assemble data and leave the stakeholders in the dark.
Following the necessary steps in incorporating data and taking action to improve circularity, the next step is analysis and education.
Effective sustainability is a shared effort, thriving on open communication. By creating a circular feedback loop, we ensure farmers aren’t just data points but active participants who see the impact of their actions. This approach enables them to fine-tune practices, enhancing efficiencies that benefit the entire system.
None of these efforts are easy. They require work and dedication, but the payoff to those who commit are significant. There are many other sector-specific evaluations from manure management to rations; however, I am confident that improving the carbon footprint in each respective industry can improve efficiencies across the board.
These actions will support environmental sustainability and help the food industry thrive.
Shane Reynolds is Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at Actus Nutrition where he oversees risk management, investment planning and environmental improvement efforts. Shane has been with the company for 14 years and worked his way up from an intern to managing carbohydrate sales, before moving into broader leadership positions. Actus Nutrition is a leading manufacturer of nutritional ingredients for the health and wellness, performance nutrition and functional food industries and has a significant presence within the pet and livestock feed industries.
