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The Decency Foundation (TDF) and Vantage Research announce a joint project to advance TDF’s Nu Metric assessment of environmental and social performance, initially tested on dairy farms. The project will explore farm-level operational dynamics across a range of categories measuring ecology, employee well-being, sustainable operations and supply chains, product quality, and community benefits. The aim is to measure and provide a roadmap for improving the environmental impact, social return, and sustainability of small farms. The project will also expand the applicability of the Nu Metric to small/medium enterprises across all industries and explore how a commitment to relational goals can impact the social sustainability of operations.
Newell Thompson, TDF’s Executive Director, shares: “We are very pleased to collaborate with Vantage Research to design a sustainability assessment tool at the operational level. The Nu Metric will be a useful measurement to assess small farms’ Social Return on Investment. It will help frame important issues within agriculture such as nutrition, health, climate change, supply chains, community dynamics, and so much more.”
Lucy Hurst, Research Director of Vantage Research, notes that small businesses such as farms need to be assessed differently from large ones. “Small farms are vital if we are to make food systems more sustainable and decent. Other studies have taken a top-down approach, whereas we will look at the day-to-day realities of farm operations.”
The indicator framework for the study will include unique types of measurement, bringing new insights to our understanding of the way small farms operate. This essential research will highlight areas of farming where support and collaboration are needed if the sub-sector is to survive.
The results of the research will be released later this year and will help improve decision-making in a range of activities related to small farms, including funding, consortium building, and knowledge and technology transfers.
About TDF
Focusing on the vitally important agricultural sector, TDF’s mission is to catalyze socially responsible ways of operating and to provide small business farmers with a sustainability roadmap and financial assistance via targeted capital improvement loans. Creating analytical tools transferable to other small/medium enterprises, TDF offers critical leadership in the broader effort to bring a values-based approach to business that stresses environmental and social performance.
About Vantage Research
Vantage Research’s mission is to help clients maximize the value of thought leadership by developing effective and influential programs and leveraging its world-class experience and expertise. Vantage Research combines meticulous research and expert analysis to produce strategic B2B, B2G and B2C reports and content pieces, including benchmarks, rankings, and other types of content exploring issues defining today’s global business environment.
For more information about the project, contact:
Lucy Hurst, lhurst@vantageresearch.com
Newell Thompson, newell@thedecencyfoundation.org