Table 4.

Methods for gaining insight into supply chain sustainability.

	examples of insights gained	advantages and disadvantages
life cycle analysis (LCA)	energy use, gaseous pollution, CO2 emissions, eutrophication potential, water use, solid waste	particularly useful for supply chain analyses of processing, manufacturing and distribution with direct insights into eco-efficiency and waste management (Hamprecht et al. 2005; Martin 2001a). Difficult to apply to an agricultural supply base
carbon accounting	carbon fixed and emitted as CO2
material flow analyses	waste reduction, reuse, recycling potential
ecological footprinting	insights into the relative impact of many activities by converting them all into the same units	useful for geographically based policy discussions
converting impacts into financial costs	useful for financial incentives and taxation discussions
food miles	distance travelled between producer and retailer	supports local food supply chains. Not directly proportional to transport externalities
HACCP studies	internationally agreed risk analysis system designed to produce safe food	useful in ‘mapping’ chains as starting point for other assessments
‘life cycle thinking’	suitable for evaluating local priorities and those not covered by other methodologies	no generally accepted methodology available. highly dependent on expertise available
stakeholder dialogue and surveys	dependent on stakeholders consulted and survey design	useful for highlighting problem areas and/or risks