FAB-B.04.C - Soil Health Target Setting
Does the company set a target to improve soil health?
About the data
The WBA Food and Agriculture Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential food and agriculture companies on their efforts to transform global food systems, tracking how companies work towards food that is healthy and nutritious, produced sustainably within planetary boundaries, and accessible and fairly produced for all. The 2026 edition assessed 350 companies spanning the entirety of the food and agriculture value chain, from agricultural inputs and commodities through to manufacturing, retail, and food service. Companies were scored on 23 food and agriculture-specific indicators and 18 core social indicators across four measurement areas: governance, sustainable food systems, healthy food systems, and inclusive food systems. The benchmark is developed in close collaboration with an Expert Review Committee and is designed to incentivise the most influential companies in the sector to adopt sustainable business practices across their own operations and supply chains, addressing critical issues including greenhouse gas emissions, deforestation, freshwater use, nutrition, and living incomes for farmers, with human rights and social equity at its core. More information can be found here.
Methodology
According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO, 2021b), approximately one-
third of the world’s soils show moderate to high degradation. Soil erosion causes significant negative
impacts, such as disrupting the soil’s ability to store and cycle carbon, nutrients and water, and
reducing crop yields – resulting in production losses of around 7.6 million tonnes for cereals alone.
Companies have the opportunity to implement and scale up regenerative agricultural practices, which
can enhance soil health, increase biodiversity and boost total productivity and the nutritional status of
diets, while reducing the need for water and other agricultural inputs (FOLU, 2023).
Research Guidance:
The company has a time-bound target to improve soil health through the implementation of sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices.
Examples of targets:
Increasing land area under sustainable/regenerative agricultural practices (hectares)
Increasing the percentage of ingredients/commodities sourced from sustainable/regenerative agriculture practices
Soil health improvements. e.g. reduction of soil erosion, increase soil carbon content
Increase number of farmers trained or land under integrated pest management, precision fertilisers applications (4R principles, controlled-released)
The company must specify the type of agricultural practices/land management used;
If the company has a target on regenerative agriculture‚, it must include the responsible use of agricultural input (fertilisers and pesticides).
Examples:
The company‚s framework for regenerative agriculture includes optimisation of fertilisers through improved nutrient efficiency, precision fertilisers applications (e.g. 4R principles), responsible or integrated nutrient management.‚ÄØAnd/or minimisation of fertilisers through integrated pest management, alternatives technics to reduce the use of synthetic input.
This indicator is not applicable to companies only operating in the seafood sector (fishing and aquaculture)
third of the world’s soils show moderate to high degradation. Soil erosion causes significant negative
impacts, such as disrupting the soil’s ability to store and cycle carbon, nutrients and water, and
reducing crop yields – resulting in production losses of around 7.6 million tonnes for cereals alone.
Companies have the opportunity to implement and scale up regenerative agricultural practices, which
can enhance soil health, increase biodiversity and boost total productivity and the nutritional status of
diets, while reducing the need for water and other agricultural inputs (FOLU, 2023).
Research Guidance:
The company has a time-bound target to improve soil health through the implementation of sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices.
Examples of targets:
Increasing land area under sustainable/regenerative agricultural practices (hectares)
Increasing the percentage of ingredients/commodities sourced from sustainable/regenerative agriculture practices
Soil health improvements. e.g. reduction of soil erosion, increase soil carbon content
Increase number of farmers trained or land under integrated pest management, precision fertilisers applications (4R principles, controlled-released)
The company must specify the type of agricultural practices/land management used;
If the company has a target on regenerative agriculture‚, it must include the responsible use of agricultural input (fertilisers and pesticides).
Examples:
The company‚s framework for regenerative agriculture includes optimisation of fertilisers through improved nutrient efficiency, precision fertilisers applications (e.g. 4R principles), responsible or integrated nutrient management.‚ÄØAnd/or minimisation of fertilisers through integrated pest management, alternatives technics to reduce the use of synthetic input.
This indicator is not applicable to companies only operating in the seafood sector (fishing and aquaculture)
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Not Applicable
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report