"State of the Industry" Report Reveals Critical Need to Standardize Sustainability Reporting in Food Retail

A new Ratio Institute report on the state of sustainability reporting in the food retail industry reveals exciting opportunities for sustainability leadership through greater transparency. The "State of the Industry" report identifies where the food retail industry is strong on reporting and how it can improve reporting, processes, operational performance, and profits. Ratio Institute will update the report annually to track industrywide reporting trends. Download the report here.

The inaugural State of the Industry report uses publicly available information to evaluate the transparency of reporting by 107 of the largest North American food retailers. The evaluation is based on criteria drawn from Ratio Institute's new Food Retail Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting Standard. Ratio Institute focused on the quality of reporting and did not evaluate sustainability performance.

"The good news is that we know the path forward," said Jonathan Tan, Ratio Institute co-founder. "Our analysis shows how Ratio Institute's Food Retail ESG Reporting Standard can provide a standardized, systematic way for retailers to report their successes and goals to key stakeholders. Companies should adopt the Standard as the first step toward improved operational performance and profits."

The State of the Industry report is a key part of Ratio Institute's Reporting with Purpose initiative, which seeks to extend the ESG Standard's benefits across the food retail industry. The initiative features the Chain Reaction Webinar Series, in which industry thought leaders will offer valuable insights on ESG reporting and how it drives sustainability and profits.

The first webinar on October 12 will feature a conversation with Ratio Institute's Tan and John Ross, CEO of the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA), the world's largest group of independent grocery retailers. They will discuss the value of reporting to key stakeholders, communicating sustainability performance to consumers, sharing cost-saving energy efficiency opportunities, and more. Register for the webinar here.

"Ratio Institute's practical sustainability tools directly correlate to store profitability?they make it simple for retailers to save money while being more sustainable," said IGA's Ross. "This is the win-win the industry has been seeking."

About Ratio Institute

Ratio Institute is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating measurable sustainability and viability in food retail through expert collaboration, industry resources, and practical tools. We work with food retailers, trade organizations, and other partners to create enterprise-level sustainability solutions that reduce costs, optimize internal practices, and improve overall performance. Learn more at ratioinstitute.org.