Food, Agriculture and Health – Why land-use reporting matters for businesses

Food, agriculture and health have never been more important to the global climate conversation. At COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, discussions around sustainable food systems, food security, and climate-resilient agriculture will highlight the need for businesses to better understand their environmental impacts to allow better decision making.

For organisations operating across food production, agriculture, manufacturing, and retail, this means looking beyond operational emissions and understanding the wider impacts of their supply chains.

One significant development is the introduction of the GHG Protocol’s Land Sector and Removals (LSR) Standard, alongside its accompanying Guidance, which brings greater detail and consistency to how businesses account for land-based emissions and carbon removals.

What does the updated Land Sector Guidance mean for businesses?

The LSR Standard and Guidance introduce more comprehensive requirements for measuring and reporting emissions associated with land management, land-use change, agricultural activities, and carbon removals.

For businesses, this creates additional considerations around:

• Data collection: Obtaining accurate information about agricultural activities, land management, and supply chains.
• Scope 3 emissions: Improving visibility of emissions associated with purchased goods, agricultural commodities, and suppliers.
• Carbon accounting: Understanding the methodologies required to measure land-based emissions and removals.
• Reporting and assurance: Ensuring emissions data is accurate, transparent, and supported by appropriate evidence.

The Standard and Guidance become effective for data and operations from 1ˢᵗ January 2027, meaning businesses should start assessing their existing reporting processes and identifying potential gaps now.

How can Inspired help?

Navigating evolving sustainability requirements can be challenging, particularly for organisations with complex supply chains and significant agricultural exposure.

Inspired supports businesses in understanding their environmental impacts, strengthening emissions reporting, and developing practical decarbonisation strategies.

Our services include:

• Scope 3 Emissions Inventories: Helping businesses identify, measure, and understand value-chain emissions, including those associated with agricultural supply chains.
• Life Cycle Assessments (LCA): Assessing the environmental impacts of products and identifying opportunities to improve sustainability.
• ESG Strategy and Reporting: Supporting organisations with evolving sustainability disclosures, reporting frameworks, and regulatory requirements.
• Net-zero Strategies: Developing practical emissions reduction plans and identifying opportunities to decarbonise operations and supply chains.
• GHG Emissions Verification: Helping organisations strengthen confidence in their emissions reporting through independent verification.

Turning COP31 ambitions into business action

COP31 will reinforce the importance of transforming food systems and building more sustainable, resilient supply chains. However, achieving meaningful progress requires businesses to understand their impacts and translate climate ambitions into measurable action.

With land-sector emissions reporting becoming increasingly detailed, now is the time for organisations to review their carbon accounting processes, improve data quality, and prepare for upcoming requirements.

Inspired can help your business navigate these changes, strengthen its sustainability reporting, and take practical steps towards net zero.

Get in touch with our ESG team to find out how we can support your organisation.