CASE STUDY

Vision Achieved with Trusted Advisor; LCA Completed

CLIENT: American Veal Association

The Challenge

The American Veal Association (AVA) represents the majority of milk-fed veal produced in the United States. Its members include businesses and individuals, from veal farmers to feed companies and veal processors. Just as other major animal protein producers, veal farmers are committed to exceeding expectations in animal welfare, environmental stewardship, food safety, health and wellness, labor and human rights.

Veal production is often misunderstood, creating challenges for veal companies and brands and the AVA in its work to instill consumer confidence in the product and the people who produce and bring it to market. In response, the association sought a partner with a proven track record in stakeholder engagement, reputation management and animal protein knowledge.

Our Approach

With extensive knowledge of the animal protein supply chain, consumer insights, stakeholder input and trust-building strategies, the Look East team originally curated a Statement of Principles in 2010 for the AVA, which was ahead of its time. This comprehensive document emphasizes the membership’s dedication to ethical and sustainable production practices including animal welfare, food safety, environmental stewardship, worker safety, community relations, training and wellbeing.

While the Statement of Principles aligned closely with the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) plans, AVA’s leadership knew it was time for this document to evolve.

Look East was charged in 2023 to develop the organization’s Ethical Commitments to further demonstrate the U.S. Veal commitment to animals, people and natural resources, and measure that commitment with the inclusion of goals, indicators, target dates and veal’s first-ever Life Cycle Assessment (LCA).

As a trusted advisor to AVA, Look East facilitated essential dialogues with industry stakeholders to create the new commitments that include outcome-based measures. Look East provided ESG expertise, insights and knowledge, including integration of the Meat Institute’s Protein Pact goals. As a result, the Ethical Commitments focus on quantifying, tracking and reporting veal production practices aligned with the core components of ESG and the Protein Pact frameworks.

Additionally, Look East’s leadership guided the AVA to complete an LCA of the U.S. milk-fed veal industry. As part of the study, Eocene Environmental Group conducted boots-on-the-ground data collection on veal farms in Pennsylvania, Indiana and New York.

The Results

Guided by strategic insights and stakeholder conversations, Look East recommended and developed a meaningful evolution to the Ethical Commitments that articulates the pledge AVA members are making within each core area, highlighted by a commitment to complete the first-ever LCA. Look East provided leadership to the association to identify a credible partner for this study, commit funding and then communicate the outcomes of the LCA.

AVA President, Sonia Arnold, PhD, values Look East as a dedicated partner and advisor for the organization’s journey to address critical issues in animal protein.

“We could not have achieved the progression we have as an organization without Look East’s leadership, skill set and expertise,” she said. “Their collaborative partnership continues to provide unwavering guidance through the ever-evolving marketplace. We’re very pleased with the results demonstrated in the LCA. While the methodology of other studies can vary, our report provides indication that veal is in line with other meats like pork and chicken.”

The AVA’s Ethical Commitments can be viewed on their website.

Find the results of the Life Cycle Analysis here.