Foodsteps’ Role in LED 4 Food: Strengthening Environmental Impact Data for Food

What is LED 4 Food?

The science and evidence team at the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has commissioned the LED 4 Food project to support the Food Data Transparency Partnership (FDTP).

Co-ordinated by WRAP - a global environmental action NGO - this three-year project brings together experts from Oxford University, WWF, Foodsteps, and other industry and research partners to tackle some of the most urgent challenges in food sustainability data.

‍

Key Focus Areas of LED 4 Food

The LED 4 Food project aims to enhance environmental impact quantification in the agri-food sector by focusing on four key areas:

• Improving environmental impact data - Expanding and refining publicly available datasets and industry-wide benchmarks for agricultural and food products.
• Harmonising data formats – Standardising impact data to improve usability and data-sharing across platforms.
• Developing a free web tool – Giving food businesses open access to harmonised environmental data.
• Defining Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies – Recommending best-practice approaches for product-level footprinting and eco-labeling.

‍‍

Foodsteps' Role in LED 4 Food

Our expertise in conducting Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) for on-farm animal and plant proteins is central to LED 4 Food's first objective (WP1): Improving the availability and quality of environmental impact data for food. 

In particular, we are leading on developing the available impact data for animal protein systems, building on 4 years of work with the HESTIA platform, a leading database for food LCAs.

Our research and technical knowledge will expand the HESTIA platform to include more robust, comparable, and transparent data that can be used throughout the agrifood industry to conduct environmental impact assessments.

Data will include both primary animal proteins and processed animal products (e.g. sausage, powdered milk). 

This work builds on our research with Defra, HESTIA, and WWF to develop models to measure the environmental impacts of food production, including animal proteins and non-animal proteins, including novel alternative protein feedstocks.

‍

‍Beyond WP1: Foodsteps' Broader Impact

‍While improving environmental impact data (WP1) is our primary focus, Foodsteps is also contributing to all areas of LED 4 Food project:

• WP2 (Data Harmonisation) – Advising on methods to create consistent, standardised data formats at scale.
• WP3 (Web Tool Development) – Providing guidance on technology development and insights to ensure data is widely accessible for food businesses.
• WP4 (LCA Methodology & Indicators) – Offering advisory services for product-level footprinting methodologies that maintain consistency and improve access to insights.

Through the Stakeholder Engagement Forum, we will continue to guide the project with our expertise in supply chain impact data and environmental footprinting technology.

‍

‍Why LED 4 Food Matters

‍LED 4 Food, part of the Food Data Transparency Partnership from Defra, will be the leading industry-wide guidance for measuring the environmental impacts of the UK’s food and drink industry.

By creating transparent, open-source data about the environmental impacts of food, the Food Data Transparency Project project will help the food industry:

• Communicate consistently and clearly, providing guidance for reporting and environmental footprinting.
• Access reliable food impact data, creating transparency across suppliers and driving actionable insights.
• Improve carbon and data literacy, offering consistent data and methodology guidance to support businesses in their efforts to reduce environmental impacts.

‍

‍What’s Next?

Between now and 2027, Foodsteps will:

• Provide data, methodology, and technology expertise to contribute to open-source access in the food industry.
• Enhance HESTIA’s modelling capabilities for animal production systems.
• Analyse impact drivers across product groups, production system and geographies.
• Deliver insights for food businesses looking to reduce their environmental impact.

By strengthening environmental impact data, we’re helping food businesses, policymakers, and researchers drive real, measurable progress in food sustainability.

Stay tuned for updates on our work with LED 4 Food and the Food Data Transparency Partnership.