Roadmap and Recommendations for Sustainability Reporting in Food Manufacturing

As sustainability reporting becomes increasingly critical within corporations, businesses face growing pressure from stakeholders to enhance transparency and efficiency. Companies are expected to measure and disclose their environmental impact, including energy use, emissions, and waste reduction efforts, in alignment with domestic and global sustainability standards. Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI), one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, also produces consumer packaged goods via multiple food production facilities. In response to rising expectations from business-to-business (B2B) customers, ACI asked for a review of its sustainability reporting processes within its food manufacturing operations. This project evaluates resource utilization and sustainability reporting practices within ACI’s manufacturing operations, with the goal of developing a strategic roadmap for recommendations to improve environmental data collection and reporting. The analysis was conducted using primary data from ACI’s facility-level utilities and B2B customer survey requests, alongside secondary research on industry peers, competitors, regulations, and alliances. Key findings include resource utilization hotspots, stakeholder reporting demands, industry best practices, and evolving regulatory requirements. These insights informed a strategic roadmap designed to enhance transparency, compliance, and sustainability performance. The project team recommended actionable steps toward short-term stakeholder communication efficiency while positioning ACI for long-term competitiveness and leadership in the food manufacturing sector. These recommendations aim to help ACI meet stakeholder expectations and drive lasting sustainability reporting impacts across its manufacturing processes.

Acknowledgements

UC Santa Barbara Bren School: Dr. Matthew Potoski, Professor; Emily Cotter, Innovation Program Manager and Lecturer; Dr. Roland Geyer, Professor; Dr. Eric Masanet, Professor

Albertsons Companies: Melissa Kral, Director of Sustainability; Jailyn Knott, Sustainability Analyst; Mark Beuerman, Sales Manager Manufacturing; LaDonna Hale, Vice President Manufacturing Sales and Business Development; Nick Brown, Plant Manager; Pedro Gonzalez, Production Manager; Louis Velasquez, Plant Superintendent

Ryan McMullen, Principal Consultant, LeanGreenWay

Mike Schwartz, Director of Sustainability Reporting, ChargePoint