Sustainability - But What Does it Mean? - Cameron Bruett, JBS Chief Sustainability Officer, from the 2014 Iowa Cattle Industry Convention, December 8 - 10, 2014, Des Moines IA, USA More presentations at http://www.trufflemedia.com/agmedia/conference/2014-iowa-cattle-industry-convention

1. Iowa Cattle Industry Convention
December 9, 2014

2. “SUSTAINABILITY”

3. T h e C o n s u m e r ’ s V i e w

4. 4
IF We Don’t Define It…

5. 5
“GOOD FOOD” Vs.
What Exactly?
A Poor Place From Which To
Begin A Conversation

6. 6
Consumer Confusion
I want local and natural because it’s better for the environment and
my health
(but there is no health benefit difference and it cannot be scaled to
meet the challenges of future generations)
I don’t want food from conventional, BIG AG because it’s bad for the
environment and my health
(but modern ag is the most efficient, safest, affordable supply in the
history of mankind)

7. 7
“Sustainable” Dietary Guidelines
Production intensity and emission intensity are inversely related
though some promote less intense systems as more “sustainable.”
There is no current internationally agreed methodology to
measure the environmental or social performance of livestock
supply chains. Economic viability is an even less robust field.
Q2 13 natural/organic = 6.6% of
beef sales (by value)

8. 2050 GLOBAL TRENDS
• Global Income
• Global Population
• Global Consumption
3 Billion in Middle Class Growth
• Currently consume 1.5x Planet’s Available Resources
• By 2050,Will Need 70% More Food
• Consuming 3x the Planet’s Available Resources

9. 9
HOW DO WE MEET THE CHALLENGE?

10. 10
Sustainability is all about the
Environment, Right?
Many people assume that
the term sustainability only
relates to “preserving the
environment.”
This is not true.
Sustainability is a much
broader discipline that
involves improving short-
and long-term profitability
by managing economic,
societal, and environmental
factors to meet the
challenges of tomorrow.
Sustainability is “the capacity to endure.” In
two words – it’s “continuous improvement.”

11. Sustainability
Simply Defined
Meeting the needs of the present while
improving the ability of future generations to
meet their own needs…
11

12. Limit The Scope; Limit Opportunity
12
SOCIAL PILLAR:
Addressing animal welfare,
worker safety, human rights,
community involvement,
property rights, beef safety,
beef quality, consumer trust
and food waste.
ECONOMIC PILLAR:
Addressing profitability,
shareholder return, capital
investment, food
affordability, license to
operate, efficiency and
innovation.
ENVIRONMENTAL PILLAR:
Addressing water, air
quality, deforestation,
conservation, land
management, waste,
energy, greenhouse gas
emissions and biodiversity.
Limited Focus
If your sole focus is on one pillar
or only on environmental metrics
on the farm, you negate the
shared responsibility of and the
shared opportunities for the
entire global beef value chain.
This holistic approach to
sustainability forces stakeholders to
view the beef value chain
comprehensively rather than
focusing on their “issue du jour.”

13. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Categories
These are the traditional
categories most people
associate with sustainability

14. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Categories
The social pillar is
critically important.
Within this pillar
arguably lies the
greatest opportunity to
demonstrate and align
our values with those
of the consumer.

15. • All systems can
be sustainable
• Continuous Improvement
• Consumer choice
• Convey sustainable
message to consumer
• Consumer wants license to feel
good about products they
consume
The Current Playing Field – Risk or Opportunity?
• Successfully intensified production
over time BUT
• Aging producer base
• Supply constraints
• Producing out-of-spec
• Regulatory pressure
• $$ barriers to entry
• Technology an option?
Sustainable Challenge –
More with Less?
Sustainable Protein?
• 7.2B Global Consumers. 9B+ by 2050;
• 2B in the middle class; 4.9B by 2030;
• Consumption of animal protein to
increase;
• In U.S. 44% are Food Involved
• 22% are Food Evangelists;
• Vocal radical –reduce choice.
• Want to make supply chain claims;
• Make sustainable supply chain
demands on immediate supplier;
• React to 1% pressure.
• Packer/Integrator sits between
retailer & producer;
• Animal Welfare responsibility;
• Food safety responsibility;
• Labor, Worker Safety responsibility;
• Technology user;
• Low margin operator.
• Make demands on retailers and
farm operations – land
management
• Cannot influence 7.18 B
consumers but influence more
than 1%
• Cannot influence the millions of
producers, growers and ranchers;
• Can leverage vulnerabilities of
large entities in middle;
• Make unrealistic demands that
prevent us from meeting the
global challenge
Global Consumers
Retailers
Packers/Processors/Integrators
NGOs/Activists
Producers/Growers/Feeders
• Focus of many supply chain
demands;
• Environmental responsibility;
• Technology user;
• Used by corporations as best
message vehicle for consumers.

16. 16
GRSB Has Chosen A Different
Approach

17. 17
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
(GRSB) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative
with a mission to advance
continuous improvement in
the sustainability of the
global beef value chain
through leadership, science and
multi-stakeholder engagement
and collaboration.
Who We Are

18. 18
“A top-down, corporate fascist regime
controlling every entity in the beef supply
chain, including and specifically targeting
cow-calf
producers….”
Who We Are NOT

19. 19
VISION
We envision a world in which all aspects of
the beef value chain are environmentally
sound, socially responsible and economically
viable.

20. 20
Constituency Groups
• Producer & Producer Associations
• Commerce & Processing
• Retail
• Civil Society
• National & Regional Roundtables

21. 21
Robust Membership (78)

22. 22
Global Roundtable for
Sustainable Beef

23. 23
Global Definition in Summary
We define sustainable beef as a socially responsible,
environmentally sound and economically viable product that
prioritizes Planet, People, Animals and Progress.

24. 24
Five Principles for
Sustainable Beef
On Monday, March 17, 2014, GRSB released a set of
draft principles and criteria for global sustainable beef
for review and comment by the global public.
GRSB has worked hard to combat the notion that technology
CANNOT be a part of the solution to the sustainability
challenge.

25. Why Only Principles?
Given the diversity of ecosystems in
which beef production occurs; a
universal standard for “sustainable
beef” is not feasible or practical.

26. 2014 Global Conference on
Sustainable Beef
Held November 2-5, 2014 in
São Paulo, Brazil.
Nearly 300 participants from
21 different countries.
96%+ Approval Rate amongst membership
for global definition of sustainable beef.

27. 27
Local Solutions;
Global Impact
U.S.A.
Europe
Australia
Indonesia
Brazil
Paraguay
UruguayArgentina
Namibia
Support local, national and regional sustainability initiatives
and roundtables that will develop and deliver science-based
continuous improvements that address their key issues.
Canada
Mexico
Columbia
Empower each beef production region
with the flexibility to identify sustainable
solutions that address the unique
challenges they face.

28. 28
www.grsbeef.org