Value Chain Business and Sustainability Scan and Analysis
| Project start date: | 08 March 2021 |
| Project end date: | 29 August 2022 |
| Publication date: | 01 November 2022 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grass-fed Cattle |
| Relevant regions: | National |
|
Download Report
(1.5 MB)
|
|
Summary
The Beef Industry Business Scan documents the general triple bottom line (TBL) (Economic, Environmental and Social) sustainability context for the overall ‘Environmental credentials for Australian beef’ Smart Farms project (L.SFP.1000). By exploring the TBL business aspects across the value chain, this subproject sought to determine and provide evidence of the value proposition for producers in developing sustainability principles and processes, their customers’ requirements for such strategies, and whether the proposed outcome of the ‘Environmental credentials for Australian beef’ Smart Farms project (an online platform for monitoring the environmental aspects of sustainability on farm) would address their need. Further discussions with participants in the Business Scan attempted to identify where the proposed technology platform and approach fitted within their business model.
The work has established that while the interviewees regarded the 5 environmental themes of the overarching project as being non-negotiable there was also a strong, positive understanding and proactive establishment of an underpinning TBL approach as being important from the general sustainability context. Additionally, the work also established the minimum requirements for developing the overarching project’s online platform from the perspective of the producer and their customers (including actors further along in the supply chain).
The Business Scan findings also informed the co-design process of the overarching project. They were delivered to the participants in the co-design workshops via written documents for prereading and a formal presentation made at the commencement of each theme’s co-design process.
Objectives
The Business Scan aimed to:
1. understand and provide detail on the current sustainability context of actors across the whole Australian beef value chain emerging around the current and growing need for verified sustainability credentials in the agri-food industry.
2. provide insights into the motivations and interests of the different stakeholders across the whole beef industry value chain, including producers, on their sustainability credential needs.
3. demonstrate a) the general TBL sustainability and b) more specifically, the environmental sustainability value proposition to producers.
4. provide evidence of the value proposition for the overarching ‘Environmental credentials for Australian beef’ project’s proposed online platform and how it should inform the emerging sustainable business ecology of the industry.
5. provide input into the co-design process in relation to requirements for the proposed platform.
Key findings
The findings from this project indicate that participants generally hold positive and proactive views of sustainability with strong support being shown for the 5 environmental themes of the project.
Further, the participants indicated that in their opinion there is significant potential value of demonstrating environmental sustainability credentials to the market in both the domestic and overseas markets. Market demand issue for these credentials were discussed but in general, participants indicated that market demand is only in the early stages of development. Validated credentialling was important so there was a level playing field for all actors in the supply chain to address, and as yet, there was little reward (e.g. in form of additional value/competitive pricing) associated with being credentialled.
Overarchingly, participants highlighted that sustainability initiatives in the beef industry need to be holistic in approach and should not be divorced from the economic or social issues associated with running a business.
Participants emphasized that the proposed online platform (a required outcome from the overarching project) should be user friendly and provide practical learning tools and resources on the project’s 5 environmental themes.
Findings from both stages were delivered as they were obtained to the co-design workshops for the project’s 5 themes.
Benefits to industry
The Business Scan provided insights from industry stakeholders and producers on a TBL approach to business sustainability in the beef value chain.
The Scan also provided insights on the specific environmental themes of the overarching project to the co-design process to aid in the development and design of the overarching Project’s beef producer-focused online platform.
Future research
Opportunities for future research are in developing specific verifiable sustainability indices, templates, guides and scorecards for TBL sustainability based data collection, data management and market driven sustainability verification strategies that can easily be incorporated into a company’s business and operational plans.
Opportunity also exists for the findings to be further investigated and developed for linking with the relevant market initiatives (e.g. carbon market, biodiversity stewardship) to educate producers in what the markets are demanding in this sustainability space.
|
For more information Contact Project Manager: Katelyn Lubcke |
