Global consumer calls for sustainability are compelling international F&B players to rethink ingredient sourcing and production strategies. But as climate change and geopolitical events continue to disrupt supply chains, industry experts warn the context for agricultural raw material production has become “more complex.” 

With changing consumer expectations around clean labels and transparency and tighter food safety regulations, especially in the EU, the shift from established practices to more modern and sustainable methods is equal parts urgent and challenging.

Food Ingredients First speaks with ADM and Symrise to understand how companies are adapting to a growing demand for sustainable ingredients, the challenges they face and the role of partnerships and technology in facilitating change.

Sustainability starts at sourcing

Célia Cholez, global sustainability manager at Symrise Food & Beverage Naturals says with growing calls for transparency, ingredient sourcing offers a renewed opportunity to incorporate sustainability in operations.

“We have clear sustainable sourcing objectives, focused on rigorous long-term risk assessment and monitoring. We work with recognized platforms such as Sedex and Ecovadis to assess our suppliers. This responsible approach enables us to assess their performance on crucial factors such as human rights, environmental impact, health and safety, business integrity and other ethical considerations.”