HowGood has released its FLAG emissions dashboard, a platform that allows food companies to measure emissions and follow new guidelines set by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).
The FLAG dashboard allows companies to create brand and product-level goals based on their given FLAG target. The HowGood database already contains emissions information for over 33,000 food ingredients, and with this data, the platform can establish emissions baselines for three major categories: land management, land use change, and carbon removals. Through this process, companies can identify their most emissions-intensive ingredients and model alternative sourcing strategies.
The new software follows SBTi’s updates to its FLAG, or Forest, Land and Agriculture, guidelines. The guidance includes targets on land-based emissions and removals, so it proves especially relevant to the food and agriculture industry. Once the GHG Protocol Land Sector and Removals Guidance is released, any company that wants to set science-based targets will now also be required to include a FLAG target.
The FLAG dashboard is an addition to HowGoods’ sustainability intelligence platform, Latis, which provides food companies with the ability to calculate environmental and social impact, develop product formulas based on carbon footprint, water usage, and labor risk, and discover new sustainability marketing claims.
While the food industry is responsible for about a third of overall global emissions, it also maintains great opportunity for carbon sequestration and removal.
New technologies have been developed that allow carbon to be sequestered through natural processes, such as in soil. Carbon may also be captured to be made into fertilizers needed for agricultural production. Further, adoption of regenerative agriculture and land-use practices that avoid unnecessary deforestation can further reduce emissions from the sector. HowGood's FLAG platform offers companies pathways for supporting such carbon-reducing practices.
“The land sector harnesses the most efficient and effective nature-based solutions for removing and storing carbon,” said Ethan Soloviev, chief innovation officer at HowGood. “Reducing deforestation is one of the most critical climate change mitigation activities that we as the food industry have. We are inspired by what FLAG offers to more accurately measure greenhouse gas emissions in line with scientific standards, and excited for what Latis can do to bring an action-oriented tool to those working hard to not only measure, but reduce land-sector emissions.”
