CUSTOMER STORY
Kashi brand identified hot spots using input-output LCA
Background
VitalMetrics conducted a spend analysis focusing on carbon footprinting for the Kashi food company, a subsidiary of the Kellogg Company. A custom-built data collection tool was developed to collect primary data from Kashi and an input-output life cycle assessment (IO-LCA) approach was applied to efficiently and effectively prioritize the most important factors that determine the enterprise-wide carbon footprint of the company. We also conducted a data quality assessment via sensitivity and uncertainty analyses. The overall methodology conformed to the ISO 14067 standard and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol by the World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Results
The results of the spend analysis showed that company-controlled operations comprised about 25% of overall emissions, with the majority of emissions coming from the production of purchased goods and services. Ingredients, which are procured by Kashi in large amounts for their products, accounted for a large proportion of the overall carbon footprint impact. Packaging was another important area identified for potential greenhouse gas emission reductions. The overall results of the spend analysis were used by Kashi to identify supply chain risks and provided a basis for impact reduction efforts.