5 ESG Levers for Food Companies in 2026

In 2026, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) will no longer sit on the sidelines as a reporting exercise or brand story. For food and seafood companies, ESG performance is increasingly tied to cost structure, supply reliability, regulatory exposure, and customer trust.

Retailers, regulators, and consumers are raising the bar simultaneously. The companies that win will treat ESG as an operating system embedded into how food is sourced, produced, and delivered.

Below are five ESG levers food companies should be prioritizing right now, with a lens that resonates especially well for brands like Chicken of the Sea and similar protein-forward portfolios.

1. Supply Chain Traceability as a Risk Control System

Traceability is moving beyond marketing claims and into the realm of enterprise risk management.

For food companies, especially those dependent on global sourcing, traceability directly impacts exposure to labor violations, environmental compliance, and supply disruption. In seafood, this is particularly acute given increasing scrutiny around illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing.

Leading organizations are investing in:

• End-to-end supplier visibility, not just Tier 1

• Digital chain-of-custody systems tied to ERP and quality data

• Real-time supplier risk scoring across environmental and social factors

The ESG payoff is clear, but so is the operational one. Better traceability reduces recalls, accelerates audits, and protects margin when sourcing shocks occur.

2. Sustainable Sourcing That Scales, Not Just Certifies

Certifications remain important, but they are no longer enough on their own.

In 2026, the real differentiator is whether sustainable sourcing can scale profitably across SKUs, regions, and product lines. Food companies are under pressure to expand responsibly without inflating costs or introducing operational fragility.

The most effective programs focus on:

• Supplier development programs that improve yield and consistency

• Data-driven forecasting tied to sustainable catch or harvest limits

• Long-term supplier partnerships rather than spot buying

For seafood brands like Chicken of the Sea, this means aligning sustainability goals with procurement strategy so growth does not come at the expense of compliance or availability.

3. Energy and Water Efficiency Inside the Plant

Operational efficiency has become one of the most overlooked ESG levers.

Manufacturing energy use, water intensity, and waste generation directly affect Scope 1 and 2 emissions, but they also impact cost per unit. In a margin-constrained food environment, ESG initiatives that lower operating expenses are gaining executive buy-in faster than ever.

High-impact focus areas include:

• Energy optimization across cold storage and processing lines

• Water reuse and wastewater treatment improvements

• Yield improvement initiatives that reduce raw material waste

When tied to lean manufacturing and digital performance management, these efforts often deliver measurable ROI within 12 to 24 months.

4. Packaging Decisions That Balance Sustainability and Shelf Performance

Packaging remains one of the most visible ESG touchpoints for consumers, but it is also one of the most complex operational challenges.

Food companies are now expected to reduce plastic use, increase recyclability, and maintain food safety and shelf life. The wrong decision can increase spoilage, damage brand trust, or disrupt distribution.

Smart organizations are:

• Evaluating total lifecycle impact, not just material swaps

• Running controlled pilots before large-scale rollouts

• Aligning packaging changes with production, logistics, and merchandising teams

The winners in 2026 will be the brands that treat packaging as a cross-functional system, not a sustainability side project.

5. Governance That Turns ESG Into Action

Strong ESG outcomes depend on governance that connects strategy to execution.

Too many food companies still manage ESG in silos, disconnected from operations, finance, and supply chain leadership. In 2026, governance maturity will separate leaders from laggards.

Effective governance models include:

• Clear executive ownership of ESG priorities

• Integrated ESG metrics within operational dashboards

• Decision frameworks that balance growth, risk, and sustainability tradeoffs

When ESG is embedded into how decisions are made, it stops being reactive and starts driving long-term resilience.

Why This Matters Now

For food and seafood companies, ESG is no longer about checking boxes for annual reports. It is about protecting supply, improving margins, and earning trust in an increasingly transparent marketplace.

Brands that operationalize these five levers in 2026 will be better positioned to scale responsibly, withstand regulatory pressure, and strengthen relationships with both retailers and consumers.

If ESG is treated as an operating advantage rather than a compliance burden, it becomes a powerful driver of competitive differentiation.