Beef Sustainability Framework

Summary

In 2017, the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework (ABSF) was developed to meet changing community and consumer expectations.

This project evaluated the successes, challenges and trust-building potential of the ABSF, by drawing on 40 in-depth interviews with key industry and external stakeholders.

Participants viewed the ABSF as a 'great start' with much potential to positively influence community trust in the industry. Based on the findings, it is recommended that transparent evaluation processes are developed for the ongoing adaptation of the ABSF.

Objectives

The aim of this project was to:

• analyse the successes and challenges of the ABSF launched in 2017
• evaluate the efficiency of the process used to develop the ABSF
• determine if the ABSF is an effective trust building mechanism
• develop a method that can be used to further evaluate the effectiveness and impact of the ABSF in the medium to longer term.

Key findings

• The framework has been successful in initiating conversations on the challenges of sustainability and has served to build relationships across diverse stakeholder groups in the red meat industry.
• The framework provides concrete evidence of an industry-wide commitment to sustainability, for example, the industry’s target to be carbon neutral by 2030.
• A key challenge for industry is the diverse cultures that surround sustainability both internally and externally, which has implications for how issues are addressed and communicated. This raises the need to carefully balance expectations for how broad or narrow consultation for the framework should be.

Benefits to industry

Understanding the successes and challenges of the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework is imperative to its ongoing impact and usefulness within the industry, as the beef industry continues to demonstrate its sustainability credentials.

MLA action

MLA will continue to enhance communications around the Australian Beef Sustainability Framework through its secretariat support.

Future research

Based on the findings, the development of transparent evaluation processes for the ongoing adaptation of the ABSF is recommended. This should include regular external and independent assessment, balanced with contributions from internal stakeholders.