FMI Launches Sustainable Sourcing Guide

Food Marketing Institute (FMI) has issued the "Sustainable Sourcing Guide for High-impact Commodities," with the aim of enabling food retailers to move toward sustainable sourcing. Developed by the Arlington, Va.-based trade association and its 18 sustainability executive committee members, the guide deals with items like sugarcane, coca, paper/pulp, coffee, soy, palm oil and beef.

"For food retailers, sustainable sourcing is critical to long-term success as availability concerns increase," noted FMI Senior Director for Sustainability Jeanne von Zastrow. "Through collaboration, industries can reduce stress on the environment and volatility in the cost of commodities that businesses depend on for survival."

The guide provides an overview of each high-impact commodity and presents environmental impact facts for each, as well as sustainable sourcing questions to ask suppliers, and product certification opportunities.

FMI also maintains a webpage offering sustainable sourcing resources, among them "Making the Business Case for Sustainability"; "Sustainability on The Shelves Guide"; "Fisheries Improvement Partnerships"; and the "Sustainable Seafood Toolkit."