April 19, 2021

First-ever full poultry supply chain sustainability reporting framework announced in the US

The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Poultry & Eggs (US-RSPE) has announced details of the first-ever, multi-stakeholder sustainability reporting framework for the full US supply chains for chicken, turkey and eggs from producer to final customer.

This assessment will equip the entire value chain to better communicate with its stakeholders about the overall sustainability of US poultry and create a clearer picture of how these products are produced.

"We've built the one thing everyone needs but nobody has yet," says Ryan Bennett, executive director of US-RSPE. "With the US-RSPE Framework metrics, organisations will be able to provide transparent reporting on their sustainability and build plans to improve."

US-RSPE also announced the Framework has moved from ideation, which began in early 2019, to practical application. Three full US supply chain pilots (broilers, eggs and turkeys) have been completed with input from leading companies including Butterball, Cal-Maine Foods, Cargill, Darling Ingredients, Herbruck's Poultry Ranch, Iowa Turkey Federation, Kreher's Family Farms, McDonald's Corporation, Peco Foods, Sanderson Farms, Tyson Foods and West Liberty Foods. The pilot companies tested the Framework's metrics to ensure they were effective and implementable ahead of the anticipated full launch to the industry early next year.

"We set up US-RSPE to be different, and you can see that in our structure," says Bennett. "Those raising the birds worked side-by-side with their supply chain and environmental groups who have specific expertise in sustainability programmes. This dynamic allows the Framework to be meaningful to the people implementing it and relevant to those who want to know more about how their food is being raised."

Consumer-facing retailers and restaurants are active in US-RSPE work and stress the importance and need for greater transparency at the individual and supply chain level. 

"We know our customers are increasingly interested in knowing more about their food and where it comes from, which in turn guides our company's broader commitments on food quality and sourcing," says Ernie Meier, director of quality for McDonald's Corporation. "Our work with the US-RSPE not only aligns with our current supply chain standards, but also furthers our work to advance environmentally and socially conscious practices for the animals in our supply chain while allowing us to meet customer expectations."

There are several sustainability assessment resources available, but the poultry sector needed a reporting structure that tackled the complexities of the full supply chain.

"It's really exciting to be able to do this work and see all parts of the supply chain, even those that your company doesn't take part in and may be several steps up or downstream from where you are, come together to create a clear picture of our sustainability," says Kristin Tupa, sustainability manager at Cargill and chair of the Framework development committee.