Nurturing sustainability in the food and drink Industry

To make real improvements, there needs to be robust foundations. If we rely on a set of disconnected initiatives, we only get superficial improvements.

Think of sustainability as a flower. The combination of healthy soil, adequate water and engaged stakeholders will give that flower the firm foundation it needs for sustained productivity. Without those elements, it will only bloom briefly.

In the same way, you cannot scale a sustainability claim if the foundation is thin. At the heart of sustainable food and drink businesses are two interlinked principles - environmental stewardship and social equity. Environmental stewardship in an entrepreneurial context must go beyond ‘does no harm’; it should aim to rebuild natural capital.

And social equity is equally essential. True sustainability also demands fair livelihoods, with sustainable supply chains delivering living incomes, safe conditions and local economic resilience. For many Scottish and UK producers, environmental regulation is now a baseline - embedding formal living-wage and community partnerships is the next frontier.

So what are we getting right when it comes to sustainability in the food and drink industry? Sustainable sourcing is a positive example, with traceable, ethical supply chains no longer a nice to have but a market imperative. However, many companies still lack verifiable data beyond their immediate suppliers, which can expose brands to reputational risks.

We have seen steps forward in production efficiency, with small breweries and large industrial pilots alike reporting substantial reductions in fuel consumption through the integration of waste-heat recovery, heat pumps and solar energy. There are still many hurdles to overcome, though. While we have seen progress in the use of sustainable materials, only 12 per cent of consumers consistently recycle specialist compostable packs, owing to inconsistent municipal collection. Consumer scepticism towards sustainability claims also remains widespread and greenwashing persists, including exaggerated claims, vague offsets and unsubstantiated natural terminology.

The truth is, no single organisation can resolve these issues alone - co-ordinated action between industry, government and civil society is essential.

Just as a flower needs water and sunlight to flourish, the sustainability ‘flower’ in food and drink entrepreneurship requires the right blend of entrepreneurial spirit, cutting-edge technology and collaborative innovation.

To ‘water’ the petals, we need:

* Entrepreneurial ecosystems: Start-ups and scale-ups are the tendrils that explore new niches. Initiatives such as SAC Consulting’s THRIVE Fundamentals, a free entry‐level programme for food and drink entrepreneurs, offer vital first steps, and the THRIVE+ advance sessions offer sessions from ESG marketing to manufacturing and pitching skills.

* Precision farming and agri-tech: Remote sensing, data analytics and adaptive irrigation can simultaneously reduce costs and environmental impacts.

* Digital traceability platforms.

* Collaborative innovation hubs: Co-working spaces, university spinouts and industry consortia foster cross-pollination. Structured learning, expert mentoring and peer networks can ‘water’ every petal of a nascent enterprise.

To achieve a sustainability bloom, entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers must unite around a set of strategic imperatives, each shaped by the twin engines of business expertise and regenerative purpose.

Building robust foundations, integrating appropriate technologies and linking financial incentives to long-term outcomes can enable the UK food and drink sector to become both resilient and profitable.

By intertwining entrepreneurship with strategic initiatives and harnessing the incredible growth and learning resources offered by programmes like THRIVE, we are not just aiming to maintain sustainability - we envision a vibrant future where ethical, resilient and profitable food and drink businesses flourish throughout Scotland and the UK.

Luisa Riascos Caipe, Food and Enterprise Consultant, SAC Consulting (Part of SRUC)