Afternoon, Tuesday, 16th September 2025
Online
This conference will examine priorities for data and transparency in the UK food system.
With updated priorities outlined in the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP) policy paper published in May 2024, sessions will assess next steps for developing a standardised approach to quantifying environmental impact, and improving the quality and availability of data collected.
With a new Food Strategy expected later this year, the conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders and policymakers to discuss latest developments, next steps and key issues for implementing consistent and accurate data reporting across the food industry on sustainability and animal welfare.
With the CCC’s recent Seventh Carbon Budget highlighting the importance of access and the quality of data to examine the climate impact of the agri-food sector, we expect the agenda to bring out latest thinking on enhancing data quality and ways in which collection can best be used to improve transparency in the food system. Issues around standardised reporting methods at both company and product level will be considered, looking at improving primary and secondary metrics, and support that may be required by businesses to contribute to data collection - as well as priorities for international alignment and implications of introducing metrics and reporting on trade.
Further sessions will look at best practice for utilising data to effectively evaluate environmental impact of products across the agri-food sector moving forward, with the APPG on Science and Technology in Agriculture’s recent Innovation Agenda for UK Agriculture report calling for development of a consistent and evidence-based approach to collecting and integrating farm-level data. Areas for discussion include the way forward for developing infrastructure for data sharing and sustainability frameworks, priorities for supporting farmers by integrating farm data into accessible datasets and examining carbon output, mitigating complexities and costs, and tackling variation within the system.
We also expect latest thinking on eco-labelling and developing a standardised approach to labelling, including examining challenges for implementation, developing an accessible methodology for measuring and reporting, and discussing methods for effective consumer communication to increase uptake of sustainable food choices.
With the agenda currently in the drafting stage, overall areas for discussion include:
- policy and strategic priorities:
- latest developments, next steps and challenges for implementing standardised data collection and reporting across the food industry on sustainability, environmental impact and animal welfare
- developing infrastructure and frameworks for data sharing - priorities for boosting data quality - supporting workforce upskilling - addressing wider agri-food challenges
- priorities for regulatory bodies, manufacturers and government - ensuring transparency is maintained across environmental and animal welfare data collection
- metrics and standardisation:
- priorities for developing a collaborative approach towards standardised data collection across the supply chain
- options for integrating farm data into accessible datasets - supporting farmers to utilise data effectively - unlocking carbon tool methodologies
- improving equal access and opportunities for small and large businesses - addressing concerns around accessibility
- key considerations for international alignment - implications for trade, exports and imports - issues for cross-border domestic regulations
- sustainability and environmental impact:
- learning from previous approaches to data collection - utilising evidence-based methods to allow for accelerated reporting on sustainability and climate impacts
- strategies for incentivising and attracting businesses to contribute data for expanding monitoring and reporting
- industry priorities and addressing barriers to participating in reporting methods - key considerations for developing standardised environmental data reporting at both company and product level
- assessing options for mandatory eco-labelling of products - the way forward for improving transparency and traceability
- consumer confidence:
- communication and engagement - resolving challenges towards food system transparency - improving public information on eco-labelling - considering how labels will look on-pack
