Key performance indicators (KPI’s) are helpful to monitor the progress of your sustainability management system. Dairy Sustainability Framework (DSF) defined 11 criteria to measure these results. Per criteria DSF formulated global KPI’s. You can always add your own KPI’s within the 11 DSF criteria. Prioritisation of the 11 criteria in your own sustainable management system is based on the defined materiality.
| Measuring and calculating the 11 DSF sustainability criteria: | KPI according DSF | Guidance | More information at: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Greenhouse gas emissions | kg CO2 per kg standard milk | Greenhouse gas emissions are calculated based on the IDF report | https://www.fil-idf.org/ idf-standing- committee-environment/ life-cycle-assessment/ carbon-footprint/ |
| 2. Soil Nutrients | Implementation of a Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) to enhance production and reduce water and air pollution. | A Nutrient Management Plan (NMP) provides a dairy farmer insight into the nutrient flows on his land. Nutrient flows consist of P, N and C components. Dutch farmers make use of the Annual Nutrient Circle Assessment (ANCA) and you can make use of these principles. Other farmers apply other tools. | https://www.wur.nl/en/article/ Annual-Nutrient-Cycling-Assessment.htm |
| 3. Soil Quality and Retention | Soil quality is maintained or improved by good management practices defined in a Soil Quality Management Plan (SQMP). | Maintaining soil quality is important for the farmer. A soil quality plan raises the protein quality in the crops used to feed the cows. Measuring the organic compound in the soil is an important indicator. | https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ wps/portal/nrcs/detail/ soils/health/assessment/?cid=stelprdb1237387 |
| 4. Water Availability & Quality | 1. Effluent management plan (EMP) adopted to minimize impacts to water quality; 2. Water use efficiency for production and processing is measured. | Availability of water is a necessity at farms. Cows need about 150 litres per day to produce milk. Regular monitoring of the water quality is important in order to reduce the pollution of water for the cows. | |
| 5. Biodiversity | A biodiversity plan is implemented to preserve, restore and improve biodiversity on-farm and across the supply chain. | Maintaining biodiversity helps the farmer to reduce costs and increases the protein coming from the own land. A biodiversity plan is based on the Pressure - State - Response (PSR) methodology, as described in the IDF Guide for biodiversity in the dairy sector and the FAO LEAP report. | https://www.fil-idf.org/ updates/ idf-guide-on-biodiversity/ |
| 6. Working Conditions | A Farm/Facility Safety Plan (FSP) is implemented to ensure worker safety. | A farm/ facility safety plan supports farmers and processors to reduce the number of accidents. The plan includes objectives, responsibilities, monitoring and yearly evaluation | |
| 7. Animal Care | Somatic Cell Count | Average (arithmetic mean) Somatic Cell Count (1000 cells/ milliliter of milk) and number of assays | https://store.fil-idf.org/product/ bulletin-of-the-idf -n-498-2019-the- idf-guide-to-good-animal -welfare-in-dairy-production-2-0/ |
| 8. Waste | Farm Level: Implementation of a Waste Management Plan (WMP) Processor Level: Mass of waste to landfill per year | The mass of waste (in percentage) that is not re-used or recycled and sent to landfill | |
| 9. Market Development | Process in place to inform producers of market opportunities & challenges | The objective is to inform your milk suppliers about the market challenges in order to create a better market access. You can define the process to inform your milk producers about the market developments. You can use newsletters, video messages, supplier meeting etc.) | |
| 10. Rural Economies | Total annual payments made to farmers for milk | [Annual Milk Tonnes Sold] x [Annual Average Milk Price] | https://www.solidaridadnetwork.org/ supply-chains/dairy |
| 11. Products Safety & Quality | 1. Does organization have a product safety & quality recall plan (PS&Q)? 2. How many public product recalls during the reporting period? | Based on the legal requirements (food safety regulations) every processor should have a product safety & quality recall plan. The number of public recalls is an indicator of the product quality and food safety. |