Public trust is the social approval to operate.
In ever-changing landscape of modern Agri-food practices, the topic of public trust is no longer creating a competitive edge. Today, organizations’ investment in public trust is a matter of risk mitigation.
Brands must prove how they contribute a significant and measurable good and admit to shortcomings in the context of improvement. Your audiences must believe your brand shares their concerns, takes action and makes investments to improve, and actively measures progress and achievements.
The goal is to earn the social license required to operate without increased government and market mandates, and be able to secure investment.
| “ | Earning public trust is about doing the right thing, through assurance and verification, and communicating these commitments.” |
| “ | Time and time again, research findings show that large percentages of the population are on the fence with how they feel about agriculture and food. This is our opportunity!” |
Continued investment in improving every area of the Agri-food value chain is a universal trend. We see this through the millions of dollars of plant and animal research conducted annually, hog and chicken barns being retrofitted with the latest technology, and on-farm excellence programs rolled out by sector leaders. Food brands are proactively working with farm groups on sustainability protocols.
Communicating these commitments as transparently and clearly as possible is the next big step. Public trust efforts include:
- Communicating ESG commitments to investor community, as proactive risk mitigation
- Communicating the competitive advantage of sustainability and SDG metrics to stakeholders and customers
- Influencing government relations and policymaking
- Collaborating with industry and developing strategic partnerships
- Engaging and empowering producers
- Attracting potential employees
Pillars of Public Trust
The mandate is clear: encourage voting age consumers to feel and believe that the agri-food industry grows and produces safe, healthy and affordable food while making a significant contribution that positively impacts our lives and enriches communities.
When we operate in a responsible, sustainable and proactive manner the public should feel good about the process in which their food is grown and raised.
They will identify themselves as a supporter of Canada’s food industry, if we are:
1. Doing the right thing
2. Verifying it
3. Communicating it