Transparent value chains
Transparency in value chains is essential for building fair and sustainable food systems. Wageningen University & Research supports businesses and policymakers by measuring and reducing environmental, social and economic impacts, enabling evidence-based decisions that contribute to a resilient and future-proof food system.
How sustainable or fair is a product really? Often, this remains unclear, making it difficult for consumers and professionals to make informed choices. Wageningen University & Research works with companies, NGOs and governments to develop measurement tools and collect global data. One example is our contribution to a harmonised EU ecolabel for food.
We help businesses comply with sustainability regulations and take meaningful action. This includes building dashboards that show how retailers contribute to sustainable practices or highlight environmental and social risks in supply chains.
At the same time, we focus on the foundation of these chains: by strengthening the resilience of primary producers, we help build a food system that is not only stronger and fairer, but also makes sustainability measurable, visible and self-evident.
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Expertises
True cost accounting
Food prices don’t tell the full story. Many social and environmental costs and benefits, such as those related to climate, biodiversity, animal welfare, and public health, remain hidden. True Cost Accounting (TCA) makes these impacts visible in monetary terms, enabling better comparisons, smarter decisions, and more effective sustainability strategies.
True cost accounting
Food prices don’t tell the full story. Many social and environmental costs and benefits, such as those related to climate, biodiversity, animal welfare, and public health, remain hidden. True Cost Accounting (TCA) makes these impacts visible in monetary terms, enabling better comparisons, smarter decisions, and more effective sustainability strategies.
Sustainability impact assessments
Wageningen University & Research supports agri-food companies in achieving measurable sustainability impact throughout their supply chains. Using a holistic, science-based approach, we balance social, environmental, and economic impacts. By assessing performance, identifying risks and opportunities, and guiding continuous improvement, we help businesses make their operations more sustainable.
Shaping the future of food traceability systems
Sustainable food begins with knowing its origin. Wageningen University & Research supports the development of traceability systems that follow every step of the supply chain, from raw materials to the final product. By combining expertise in AI, data governance and socio-economic research, we help companies demonstrate food safety, ethical sourcing and transparency.
Enabling fair and just livelihoods
Enabling fair and just livelihoods requires human rights to be firmly embedded in food systems, with fair pay, safe working conditions, transparent supply chains and equal access to food. Wageningen University & Research develops tooling to systematically measure and promote these principles.
Ecolabel food: game changer for more sustainable food
An increasing number of initiatives are developing food ecolabels to compare the environmental impact of food products. Wageningen University & Research is working on a standard methodology for measuring these impacts and contributing to a harmonised label based on European requirements.
Harmonising Product Environmental Footprints (PEF)
Through our work on sector-specific Category Rules, we help companies in sectors like horticulture better assess the environmental impact of their products. Such Category Rules allow for application in sector-specific digital tooling, increasing efficiency, enabling use of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) by non-experts, and reducing costs, while supporting transparent sustainability reporting.
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Why partner with WUR
What we offer
- Socially responsible innovation
- Science-based decision support
- Experience with both policy and business sectors
- Leading expertise in regulation and certification
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Do you have a question regarding transparent value chains or working together with us? Please get in touch.
Explore other focus areas
Policy, governance and decision-making support
We support policymakers with science-based insights for effective, inclusive and future-proof agri-food and environmental policies. Using advanced data analytics, sector expertise and scenario modelling, we help assess trade-offs, forecast impacts, and guide strategic decisions in complex food and climate systems.
Policy, governance and decision-making support
We support policymakers with science-based insights for effective, inclusive and future-proof agri-food and environmental policies. Using advanced data analytics, sector expertise and scenario modelling, we help assess trade-offs, forecast impacts, and guide strategic decisions in complex food and climate systems.
Societal transformations
Wageningen University & Research supports transformative change across food systems. We help governments, businesses and civil society actors identify entry points to shift consumer behaviour, production practices and institutional systems, ensuring transformations that are sustainable, inclusive and scalable.
Resilient production systems
We equip farmers, fishers and agri-food actors with science-based insights and practical tools to achieve sustainable livelihoods, efficient production and informed decision-making. Our expertise helps build a resilient, fair and future-proof food system.
Healthy and sustainable consumption
Wageningen University & Research helps governments, businesses and NGOs design and evaluate effective strategies for healthier and more sustainable food choices. Using global consumer data and behavioural science, we support impactful interventions that contribute to a food system that benefits both people and the planet.
Nature-positive and climate-proof economies
Wageningen University & Research supports the transition to nature-positive and climate-resilient economies. We help governments, businesses and civil society actors strengthen biodiversity, reduce climate risks, and build circular, resilient systems that benefit people, planet and prosperity.
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