Evaluation of Sustainable Procurement Processes in Food Supply Chains

Food security issues are a concern both globally and locally. Organisations and government agencies are launching initiatives and policies to ensure food is available for all, taking into cognisance the social, environmental and economic impact of food production activities. The debate for food security and sustainability has recently been in top gear among government, civil society organisations (CSOs) and businesses. There is increase in interest concerning food production processes, raw material sources, food traceability and safety. The increasing pressure from government, CSOs and consumers, is forcing players in the food industry to seek more sustainable means of producing, processing and even distributing their products. Despite the regulations on food production and importation in the UK, it has recently experienced devastating food crisis. This project clarifies the concept of sustainability and sustainable procurement as it investigates how companies in the UK food industry integrate sustainability initiatives into their procurement processes and on ascertaining the criteria for supplier selection, key performance indicators and tools used to evaluate progress.