The Sustainable Wheat Initiative Symposium will take place June 4-5, 2025 at the Rabobank Conference Center in Utrecht, Netherlands. The event will serve as the official launch platform for a new industry coalition focused on wheat sustainability and carbon reduction targets.

What is the Sustainable Wheat Initiative

A group of European bakery company CEOs, operating under AIBI governance, has established the Sustainable Wheat Initiative with the stated goal of addressing wheat-related carbon emissions in the European baking sector. The initiative cites EU Soil Observatory data indicating that 90% of European agricultural soils are considered unhealthy due to farming practices and climate change impacts.

The initiative has set a specific target: reduce carbon emissions from wheat and wheat flour by 30% by 2030, compared to 2022 baseline levels. According to the initiative's documentation, the European bakery sector accounts for more than 10 million tons of annual greenhouse gas emissions linked to wheat and wheat flour.

The 2030 Framework

The coalition's approach centers on transitioning conventional wheat and wheat flour volumes to sustainable alternatives with a targeted 30% carbon footprint reduction per kilogram by 2030. The initiative identifies sustainable farming practices as the primary mechanism for achieving these reductions, noting that over 80% of wheat flour emissions occur pre-field and on-field.

Proposed sustainable practices include diversified cropping, cover crops, reduced tillage, precision farming techniques, and increased use of organic and low-carbon fertilizers. The initiative references academic research and pilot projects suggesting that a 30% wheat footprint reduction through regenerative agriculture practices is achievable.

Membership Structure

The initiative offers two participation levels:

Active Members commit to the 30% reduction target and agree to publicly report their Scope 3 carbon footprint and wheat/flour carbon footprint annually by 2027, aligned with European CSRD reporting requirements.

Supportive Stakeholders endorse the initiative's goals without committing to specific reduction targets, often while developing their own roadmaps for potential future active participation.

Symposium Participants

The Utrecht symposium will be open to various stakeholders across the wheat value chain, including bakery companies, artisan bakers, national bakery federations, miller federations and individual millers, farming federations, agricultural cooperatives, financial institutions, universities, EU policymakers, NGOs, and press.

According to the organizers, signing the manifesto is not required for symposium attendance. The event aims to create partnerships across the wheat value chain and launch what the initiative terms a "coalition of action."

Broader Context

The initiative positions itself within the context of individual company sustainability efforts, stating that current regenerative agriculture initiatives in the bakery sector are "largely individually scattered, experimental and tactical efforts." The goal is to create what organizers describe as "a shared vision between the bakery industry, millers and agriculture" with coordinated targets and frameworks.

The 2030 target is presented as a milestone toward a longer-term net zero goal by 2050, consistent with various industry climate commitments.

Registration and Information

Companies and organizations interested in participating can sign the manifesto prior to the symposium, with continued opportunities for engagement during and after the event. The initiative provides accounting and reporting instructions for active members and maintains registration systems for both membership types.

Tickets for the two-day event are available through the initiative's registration system.