In a challenging market with ongoing consolidation in the European food industry, IFS has successfully maintained a high number of certificates. IFS remains the market leader in food certification in Europe and is expanding into new markets. Specifically, food retailers continue to choose IFS as the preferred standard for assessing the quality and safety of their private label products.

The food industry will face more challenges in Europe and other countries and regions around the globe as new corporate sustainability and supply chain transparency legislation comes into force. The IFS Network, supported by major retailers and certification bodies, recognises the need for process validation to comply with the new regulations and stakeholder expectations.

In this context, IFS Managing Director Stephan Tromp said, “We at IFS want to support businesses in creating and maintaining efficient management processes for sustainable and transparent supply chains. To this end, we will offer a portfolio of checks and supportive digital tools under the new IFS Supply Chain Solutions brand. These tools will support companies, particularly SMEs, to identify, assess, and mitigate risks in their supply chains. Through our practical checklists and tools, businesses can identify risks early, monitor their supply chains, and meet their obligations efficiently and reliably. “

He expects the first checks belonging to this product line to be presented in early 2025. 

We will keep our stakeholders updated through LinkedIn and our newsletters.

• The verified self-assessment helps small and mid-sized businesses to evaluate their current sustainability management practices
• The model facilitates a transition to active climate protection in businesses

Berlin, 07.07.2022. The food industry is particularly challenged when it comes to making, processes, structures, and business models more sustainable. For this reason, IFS, the globally applied quality standard, has developed the IFS ESG Check that helps small and mid-sized companies to determine their own individual status quo.  The verified self-assessment creates an important basis for businesses to take more concrete measures on the way to better sustainability.

Hardly any other topic concerns people as much as climate change. This was the result of a study conducted by the European Investment Bank in 27 countries. Sustainability plays a crucial role in the food industry in particular, as global demand for food is rising while production and supply chains are generating additional CO2 emissions. To combat this, efforts are being made worldwide to enshrine new requirements for sustainable food production in law. With its ‘Green Deal’ program, which aims to make the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, the European Union is taking a pioneering position on this topic.

For small and mid-sized businesses to take initiative and become more sustainable, however, guidance is needed. IFS – International Featured Standards – has developed the ESG Check for exactly this reason; to help companies understand the sustainability of their own practices and operations and integrate environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. IFS is well-known as a trustworthy partner by over 30,000 certified businesses.

“The IFS ESG Check helps to record involvement in environmental, social, and governance issues in small and mid-sized companies, thus guiding businesses into the next phase of their growth,” says Stephan Tromp, Managing Director of IFS Management GmbH. “The IFS ESG Check creates the foundation on which businesses can align their sustainability management, identify risks, and plan their further engagement.”

Questionnaire captures the status quo and identifies opportunities for catching up

By filling out the questionnaire, companies determine their current situation and status quo. In the next step, an auditor verifies the answers given. This unique combination of self-assessment and verification ensures that the data are robust and trustworthy. 

The robust data collected can be further utilized in consultation with the customer to plan the next steps and take measures to improve sustainability management and identify the additional potential for making the company’s operations more sustainable. Furthermore, the IFS ESG Check makes monitoring progress and success easier and more visible. A combination of the IFS ESG Check with a traditional IFS Certification audit is possible.

The basic module of the IFS ESG Check focuses on recording a company’s ‘Sustainability Management System’. It takes the sustainability policy of the company, the commitment of senior management to its own sustainability goals, as well as any associated and suitable frameworks into account. As an additional module, the IFS ESG Check offers companies the opportunity to evaluate their carbon footprint management system and determine their own footprint. For this purpose, IFS works together with Nature Office, a consulting firm for sustainability topics. 

To prepare for the IFS ESG Check, IFS offers companies practice-oriented training. For this, IFS works exclusively with Impact Buying BV, a ‘B Corporation’ that specialises in analysis, consultation, and training on sustainable supply chains. 

In the future, IFS will help customers determine their own position even more accurately with new modules. As a dependable partner, IFS will continue to help companies drive their sustainable transformation and accelerate change in society. Those who know where they stand today can better define where they will be tomorrow.

For more information, click here: www.ifs-esgcheck.com