Navigating the Evolving Sustainability Regulatory Landscape
Last update: 05/06/2026
For food and agri businesses, these regulations span the entire value chain: from agricultural sourcing and environmental impacts to product claims, packaging, and corporate reporting. As a result, sustainability is no longer managed only by dedicated teams, but increasingly involves quality, regulatory, R&D, finance and procurement functions.
To support clarity in this complex landscape, sustainability regulations can be grouped into four key areas:
- Measure & Report – requirements to quantify and disclose environmental (or ESG) impacts
- Claim & Communicate – rules governing environmental claims and product information
- Produce & Source – obligations related to agricultural practices, emissions, and supply chains
- Design & Dispose – regulations addressing packaging, circularity, and waste
Understanding these categories helps organizations identify which requirements are relevant, who is responsible internally, and how to ensure compliance while supporting broader sustainability goals.
The following overview highlights major regulations shaping the food and agri sector globally. This overview is not exhaustive and highlights selected key regulations with significant relevance to the food and agri sector. Not all regulations apply equally to all companies; relevance depends on company size, geographic presence, and role in the value chain.
Measure & Report
Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
Requires large companies to disclose standardized ESG data, including environmental and climate impacts (based on ESRS standards).
EU Taxonomy Regulation
Defines what counts as “sustainable economic activity” and requires disclosure alignment.
SEC Climate Disclosure Rule
Requires listed companies to disclose climate risks and emissions data.
ISSB (IFRS S1 & S2)
Global baseline standards for sustainability and climate-related financial disclosures.
Claim & Communicate
Green Claims Directive
Requires companies to substantiate environmental claims with scientific evidence and third-party verification to prevent greenwashing.
Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive
Bans misleading environmental claims and improves product sustainability information to consumers.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Green Guides
Guides how environmental marketing claims should be substantiated and communicated, and is used by regulators to assess whether claims are misleading under consumer protection law.
France Climate & Resilience Law (environmental labeling)
Requires substantiation and, in some cases, environmental labeling (e.g., carbon scores for food).
UK Green Claims Code
Sets principles to ensure environmental claims are truthful and not misleading.
Produce & Source
EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)
Requires companies to ensure products (e.g., soy, beef, palm oil) are deforestation-free and traceable.
Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)
Requires companies to identify and mitigate environmental and human rights risks across their value chains.
Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)
Applies carbon pricing to certain imported goods (including fertilizers), with indirect implications for agricultural supply chains and input costs.
Farm Bill Conservation Programs
Incentivizes sustainable agricultural practices (soil, water, emissions).
Design & Dispose
Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
Sets requirements on recyclability, reuse, and reduction of packaging waste.
Single-Use Plastics Directive (SUPD)
Restricts certain plastic products and mandates reduction and labeling requirements.
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes
Requires producers to finance collection, recycling, and waste management.
Plastic Pollution Treaty (UN)
Global treaty to address plastic pollution across lifecycle (production to waste).
Waste Framework Directive (WFD)
Establishes the EU framework for waste management, including food waste monitoring and reduction requirements, and the basis for extended producer responsibility schemes.
