Summary

Consumer expectations of the ESG performance of the products they consumer has risk markedly in recent decades, in recognition of both the negative and positive impacts that products and businesses can have. This is more pronounced for agriculture than for other industries, due to issues surrounding health and nutrition, animal welfare, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, food safety, environmental concerns, and more. There are, however, also opportunities such as carbon sequestration and enhanced biodiversity that don’t exist in other sectors. 
 
There is a need to understand consumer behaviour and the level of consumer expectations around these issues, the benefits (or avoided costs) of meeting these expectations, and how these expectations can be practically met.
 
This project will look at the available evidence of where price premiums through ESG standards, certification, and accreditation (SCA) schemes have been achieved. It will also look at where SCAs have become the industry standard and are therefore required for social license to operate, and where this paradigm could shift into the future.
 
This will be done through a literature and stakeholder informed case studies, which will inform recommendations for industry at the primary producer level and also at the higher industry-wide R&D level. 

Program

New Enterprises

Research Organisation

ACIL Allen Consulting Pty Ltd