Articles | Volume 10, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-505-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-505-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Original research article
| Highlight paper
| 
18 Jul 2024
Original research article | Highlight paper |
| 18 Jul 2024
| 18 Jul 2024
Can corporate supply chain sustainability standards contribute to soil protection?
Jan Frouz
Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Environment Centre, Charles University in Prague, José Martího 407/2, Prague 6, Czech Republic
Faculty of Humanities, Charles University in Prague, Pátkova 2137/5, Prague 8, Czech Republic
Jaroslava Frouzová
Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Alena Peterková
Institute of Soil Biology and Biogeochemistry, Biology Center of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
Environment Centre, Charles University in Prague, José Martího 407/2, Prague 6, Czech Republic
Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, Prague 6, Czech Republic
Vojtěch Kotecký
Environment Centre, Charles University in Prague, José Martího 407/2, Prague 6, Czech Republic
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Executive editor
As consumers demand to know more about the provenance of their food and the impact its production has on the environment, it is timely to consider the role that the supply chains of companies play in protecting soils from degradation. Soil degradation is increasingly considered as a commercial risk in supply chains, with soil quality a priority objective in retail-sector sustainability efforts. Many products and services rely on soils, and loss of productivity can be a significant risk. This interesting paper examines how soil sustainability features in accreditation schemes used by major food retailers and the potential influence these might have for soil protection. As many organizations and companies across different sectors are attempting to apply robust sustainability standards, it makes a timely contribution. It addresses four key questions: (i) To what extent are companies considering soil sustainability as part of their sustainability strategy? (ii) Do sustainability standards that companies use have a potentially meaningful impact on soil protection, and does that impact affect standards' market penetration? (iii) Are schemes that emphasize the environment more likely to have a stronger soil-related impact? (iv) What are companies' practical considerations in their application of soil protection criteria in voluntary sustainability standards?
As consumers demand to know more about the provenance of their food and the impact its...
Short summary
We explore business efforts to ensure soil quality in their supply chains through the application of supplier sustainability standards. Through a content analysis of existing sustainability standards and companies' sustainability reports, we found that soil sustainability is an important priority for food retailers. However, the standards currently applied tend to have a limited impact on soil protection due to a lack of specific criteria and thresholds.
We explore business efforts to ensure soil quality in their supply chains through the...
