Advisory Services: Food and Agriculture Industries

Food & Agriculture Industry

BSR works with the full range of businesses in this sector, including companies involved in farm applications, farming, food processing and manufacturing, food services and distribution, and restaurant and grocery retail.

Supply Chain Management

BSR provides counsel to companies on a spectrum of supply chain issues including strategy, policy development, risk assessment, audit processes and management systems.

  • BSR led a food and beverage retail company through the development of a comprehensive policy and approach for managing a new product line's supply chain. The project included a risk assessment analysis, the development of a verification system and recommendations for stakeholder engagement.
  • BSR helped a major agricultural production company develop, assess and prioritize the implementation of its human rights policies throughout its supply chain. The project included policy development, a comprehensive risk analysis and recommendations.

CSR Strategy Design and Development

BSR uses consulting tools and processes to help companies integrate CSR into their business strategies and develop structures that drive CSR performance.

  • BSR provided strategic counsel to senior managers of a leading food company to help them develop a comprehensive CSR strategy. BSR serves as an external advisor to the company's cross-functional CSR council, providing guidance on CSR reporting, goal-setting, stakeholder engagement and supply chain management.
  • BSR carried out a CSR strategy analysis for an agricultural company that was struggling with the complexity, lack of common standards and rapid rate of change in the agricultural sector that increased costs and risks. BSR helped the company develop a management system that anticipated customer needs and strengthened community ties.

CSR Program, Structure and Policy Development

BSR uses proven methodologies to help companies develop CSR policies and improve their reporting strategy.

  • BSR is advising a major agricultural company on the development of a new code of conduct through analyzing key CSR objectives, trends and mandates that arise both internally and externally. The code will align with the company’s existing decision-making frameworks and address current and future business risks related to CSR.

CSR Reporting

BSR assists in building reporting models, helps companies determine their approach to reporting and provides significant assistance to companies as they develop their reports.

  • BSR has provided strategic input on tone, content, scope and management structures for the CSR reports of several companies in the industry. BSR has also participated on the cross-functional committees often formed to develop CSR reports and provided guidance on likely stakeholder reactions to report content.

CSR Assessments

BSR provides a range of tools and services to help companies evaluate their position relative to global CSR standards and leadership practices.

  • BSR conducted an extensive gap analysis to help a leading food retailer improve its CSR policies and practices that better address stakeholder concerns. The project involved interviews with key internal and external stakeholders, an analysis of CSR performance against global standards and recommendations for improvements.

Stakeholder Engagement and Facilitation

BSR uses a variety of consulting tools and processes to identify, engage and facilitate dialogues with key company stakeholders to help companies better respond to stakeholder needs.

Engagement

  • BSR designed and led a significant evaluation project to help a global tobacco products company better understand stakeholder perceptions of its CSR policies and practices. BSR interviewed 250 employees and met with 30 stakeholder groups representing various environmental, community and public policy concerns.
  • BSR developed a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process and toolkit to help a global food retailer engage more effectively with stakeholders at the local and regional levels and through interfacing directly at the business unit level.

Facilitation

  • BSR handled the design, planning, facilitation and follow-up for several convenings between a major global food retailer and stakeholders on topics such as nutrition and water use. BSR helped clarify the meeting objectives, identified key internal and external stakeholders and ensured that participant concerns were addressed.
  • BSR convened a three-day workshop bringing together indigenous peoples and representatives from multinational companies to create more effective relationships in the areas where these companies operate. The workshop explored effective techniques for communicating and reaching agreement with local communities.

Industry Issues

Agrochemical use and impact, Biodiversity, Brand management, Climate change impacts, Community relations, Energy use, Labor standards, Nutrition and obesity, Product labeling and packaging, Responsible marketing, Role of biotechnology, Sustainable agriculture, Traceability and food safety, Transportation impacts, Water and soil conservation, Worker health and safety

For more information, please contact us at web@bsr.org.

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