Issues
| | Sustainable Food Indicators... | Scroll to complete indicators. | | You may print this page.  back |
We have given you some indicators to work with and suggested some ideas of how you could measure yourself against them. Add other indicators and ways of measuring yourself that are appropriate to your community, location and business.
You can find from the Global Reporting Initiative, more detailed Guidelines on how to report improvements in sustainability, including using indicators of performance. Click for more on UK Sustainable Development Indicators in your pocket. Devise your own system of scoring based on 100 = full marks for 100% and 0 = not done anything. | Issue: Animal Welfare | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | To reduce overheads and maximise production, animals are confined and constrained in ways that are not conducive to their wellbeing. | . | Stall and tether free pigs. need one for chickens? others? |
| Animal Welfare: Measure progress | Score | | % of pigmeats sourced from stall & tether free livestock. | . | | % Pigmeats purchased from RSPCA Freedom Foods or equivalent Accredited sources. | . | | your measure........ | . |
| Issue: Animal Transport | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Transporting live animals increases the risk of spreading disease. All transportation of animals should be planned to minimize transit time and the risk of zoonoses (bugs), protect against environmental extremes, avoid overcrowding, provide food and water when indicated, and protect against physical trauma. | . | Journey time of livestock. |
| Animal Transport: Measure progress | Score | | Meat purchased from sources where journey time is within legal requirements. | . | | Purchase all meat from livestock undertaking 8 hours maximum journey time for red meat animals (IIED measure). | . | | Purchase all meat products from RSPCA Freedom Foods audited & approved transport system, or equivalent recognised standard. | . |
| Issue: Pesticide free | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Pesticides aim to kill pests, particularly insects (insecticides) & weeds (herbicides). Many of these chemicals end up in air, land, water & food. | . | Pesticide residues in food. |
| Pesticide free : Measure progress | Score | | % of produce purchased from no-spray buffer zones. | . | | % of produce purchased from sources that do not use chemical pesticides. | . | | your measure.... | . |
| Issue: Additive free | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Additives are chemicals put into food products and include colourings, flavourings, and preservatives. Most are considered safe, however some have been linked to cancers, Parkinsons, Alzheimers; and reactions such as allergies, hyperactivity, asthma, migraines. | . | Additives consumed per meal. |
| Additive free: Measure progress | Score | | Choose either total or average number of additives per meal. | . | | % of main meal choices available without colourings. | . | | % of main meal choices available without any additives. | . |
| Issue: Genetic Modification | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Genetically modified (GM) crops are plants whose genetic material (DNA) has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating or natural recombination. GM uses proteins from organisms that have never been part of the human food chain. Anti-biotic resistant genes are used as a marker in GM crops and can make their way into human gut bacteria after only one meal. The long term effects of this are unknown. | . | Availability of non-GM produce. |
| GM: Measure progress | Score | | % of GM produce & products used containing GM ingredients. | . | | Purchase only 100% certified non-GM produce / products. | . | | your measure... | . |
| Issue: Antibiotics | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Abuse of antibiotics through over prescription and residues in food has resulted in the development of strains of bacteria resistant to them. Diseases that were once virtually wiped out are mutating, and resisting antibiotics. Once-curable diseases now have the potential to cause widespread sickness and death. Antibiotics are used in agriculture on healthy animals to stimulate growth, and prevent disease, usually as an additive in feed. | . | Non-Routine use of antibiotics.
Use of antibiotics as growth promoters in feedstuff. |
| Antibiotics: Measure progress | Score | | % of meat purchased from sources that do not routinely dose with antibiotics. | . | | your measure... | . |
| Issue: Hormones | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Livestock are routinely dosed with synthetic & natural hormones to increase milk yield and to accelerate growth so ready for market earlier. Hormone residues in the food chain can cause sterility, feminisation and cancer. | . | Hormone free meat. |
| Hormones: Measure progress | Score | | % of meat from sources that do not routinely dose with hormones. | . | | your measure... | . |
| Issue: Organic | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Farms use vast amounts of chemicals, as fertilisers and pesticides, plus increasing quantities of energy from fossil fuels. There is worry about pesticide and veterinary product residues remaining in food and the narrow range of nutrients left in the food. 'Organic' food is free from artificial fertilisers and pesticides. Organic standards governing products claiming to be 'organic', also cover related concerns, such as animal welfare and GM free - the top five issues in the left navigation bar. | . | Food produced without the use of chemicals. perhaps find something from HDRA/soil assoc? |
| Organic: Measure progress | Score | | % of food purchased from certified organic sources [Approved by Soil Assoc (UK) or equivalent approved standard]. | . | | % of main meals produced with all organic ingredients. | . | | your measure... | . |
| Issue: Nutrition | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Consumption of foods high in fat & low in unrefined carbohydrates, combined with decline in excercise are major causes of chronic diseases. They include obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension, stroke, cancers. These are becoming significant causes of disability and premature death. | . | Access to food that meets current dietary guidelines.
Designated management responsibility for nutritional content.
Consumption of fresh fruit & vegetables. |
| Nutrition: Measure progress | Score | | % of menu that conforms to dietary guidelines. | . | | % of fresh fruit and vegetables served per meal. | . | | Fair pricing strategy whereby healthy options are priced equivalent to, and not higher than, high fat / high sugar options. | . |
| Issue: BSE | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) destroys the grey matter of the brain and spinal cord of cattle, making the brains look like a sponge. The cause is the development of a self-replicating protein, known as a 'prion'. Prions are highly stable and capable of surviving freezing, drying and heating at temperatures used for pasteurising and sterilizing. | . | BSE Free herds. |
| BSE: Measure progress | Score | | % of meat sourced from BSE free herds. | . | | we need another | . | | your measure... | . |
| Issue: Salmonella | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Salmonella is a bacteria occurring in poultry, eggs, unprocessed milk, meat & water. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include headaches, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. | . | Incidencies of Salmonella in the supply chain. |
| Salmonella: Measure progress | Score | | % of eggs purchased from flocks free of salmonella. | . | | your measure... | . |
| Issue: Fish | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Commercial fishing of the oceans has decimated fish stocks. Fish farming leads to high incidence of diseases. Sea lice infecting farm salmon increase the incidences amongst wild fish. Farmed fish are routinely dosed with antibiotics in their feed, can become aggressive, carry diseases & die from toxic algal blooms & oxygen starvation in hot weather. | . | Wild and farmed fish purchased from sustainable sources. |
| Fish: Measure progress | Score | | % of farmed fish purchased from sources registered to a recognised standard e.g. The Marine Stewardship Council Eco-label. | . | | % of wild fish sourced from fishing grounds within safe biological limits. | . | | % wild fish caught by methods that minimise by-catch, for example of dolphins & albatross. | . |
| Issue: Local Sourcing | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | We can buy apples from USA -4,700 miles, onions from Australia -over 12,000 miles, carrots from South Africa -51,000 miles, beans from Kenya -3,600miles. Every calorie of carrot from South Africa uses 66 calories in fuel to reach the UK. Local sourcing reduces energy consumption, reduces the need for excessive packaging, eliminates the need for chilling, freezing, irradiating, provides fresh produce, and contributes to the maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment in your rural area. | . | Availability of food produced locally. Distance food travelled from source to consumption. |
| Local Sourcing: Measure progress | Score | | % of food purchased from locally produced sources. | . | | Average number of miles food is transported per meal. | . | | Purchasing contracts with local producers. | . | | your measure... | . |
| Issue: Fair Trade | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | summary of issue.... | . | Availabilty of Fair Trade marked foods & products. |
| Fair Trade : Measure progress | Score | | % Fair Trade marked products purchased. | . | | Actively promote Fair Trade alternatives to customers. | . | | your measure... | . |
| Issue: Social Audit | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | summary of issue.... | . | Equal opportunities and equitable conditions for all employees & workers in the food production & supply chain. Management level responsibility for labour standards. |
| Social Audit : Measure progress | Score | | Application of recognised labour standards Code of Conduct (ILO?). | . | | Recognition of Trade Union / Workers Council. | . | | Conditions, contracts, remuneration of employees above legal minimum. | . | | Number of management hours per month dedicated to labour standards. | . |
| Issue: Housekeeping | Your Policy Statement | Indicators | | Energy use: Water conservation: Waste minimisation: Resources:
Chemical: Synthetic hormones found in plastic packaging interfere with natural hormones and cause feminisation, sterility & cancers. Health & Safety: | . | Recycle waste products. Use of disposable products. Use of plastic wrapping. Workplace accidents. |
| Housekeeping: Measure progress | Score | | % of waste segregated for recycling. | . | | Number of different single use / disposable items purchased. | . | | % of foods purchased in plastic wrap/packaging. | . | | Number of workplace accidents in last 12 months | . |
back |
|
