Sustainability has entered a new phase in the food industry. What was once a marketing differentiator is rapidly becoming a requirement shaped by consumer expectations, traceability demands, and stricter regulation. This is especially visible in the pet industry, where pet parents increasingly expect companies to take responsibility for the climate impacts of their activities (State of Sustainability in the Pet Industry 2025, The Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC)).
At the same time, consumer skepticism toward vague environmental claims is rising, particularly in Europe, with the Green Claims Directive currently requiring substantiated proof behind any sustainability claim. And where consumers go, the market follows. In this environment, sustainably marketed brands are growing significantly faster, proving that when sustainability is embedded in business operations, companies are at a competitive advantage (State of Sustainability in the Pet Industry 2025, PSC).
Beyond a standard, organic as a farming system
With the rise in consumer awareness and scrutiny, credibility becomes key. Credibility comes from supply chain traceability and knowing your blind spots. Organic certification is built on a third-party verified system of traceability. Under the standard, every production batch must be traceable back to the farm or producer group that cultivated it. Chain-of-custody controls, segregation requirements, annual audits, and residue testing are mandatory. This is not voluntary transparency, but regulated and audited.
For pet brands experiencing increased consumer pressure, retailer documentation requests, and regulatory disclosure frameworks such as Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) in the EU or emerging U.S. climate disclosure laws, this matters. Organic certification provides a system that strengthens claims and reduces greenwashing risk.
But traceability is only part of the story.
Soil health: The foundation of supply chain resilience
At its core, organic farming is a soil-centered system. Peer-reviewed research consistently shows that organic practices enhances soil biological activity, microbial biomass, and soil organic matter compared to conventional systems, critical indicators of soil health and nutrient cycling (Lori et al., 2017).
This is increasingly important in the face of climate change driving extreme weather events. When soils retain more water, crops are better able to withstand drought conditions. When soils contain more organic matter, nutrient cycling improves, reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers. When soil (micro)biology is diverse, systems are more resilient to pest and disease pressures.
In essence, soil health equals supply chain resilience and stability.
Climate impact
Organic agriculture contributes to climate solutions in two ways: mitigation and adaptation.
Long-term field trials conducted by the Rodale Institute have demonstrated that organic systems can increase soil organic carbon over time, contributing to carbon sequestration.
Currently, the agricultural sector contributes to 45% of the total global Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, with one of the biggest contributors being the use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers. Organic farming prohibits the use of chemical inputs and relies instead on practices that enhance soil health in the long-term, focusing on resilience and regeneration rather than short-term productivity.
From an adaptation standpoint, diversified crop rotations, a common and widely incentivized practice in organic systems, reduce vulnerability to extreme weather events and pest outbreaks. Greater biodiversity within and around farms has been linked to higher species richness and ecological stability. A meta-analysis published in the Journal of Applied Ecology found that organic farms support approximately 30% greater biodiversity than conventional farms (Tuck et al., 2014).
As PSC’s 2025 report emphasizes, climate-related volatility is already affecting agricultural systems and ingredient supply chains worldwide.
Organic systems, by strengthening ecological functions, help buffer against these pressures, relying on practices that work with nature, not against them.
Farmer resilience and livelihoods
Resilience is not only ecological, but also economical.
Organic farmers often benefit from diversified crop rotations, reduced input dependency, and access to premium markets.
Research comparing organic and conventional systems has shown that while yields can vary by crop and region, organic systems frequently demonstrate greater profitability under drought conditions due to lower input costs and price premiums (Rodale Institute trials; Reganold & Wachter, 2016).
Additionally, organic certification requires strict labor and farm management standards in many jurisdictions, contributing to improved working conditions and structured compliance frameworks.
Farmer resilience ultimately translates into supply chain resilience. When producers have diversified income streams and stable buyer relationships, they are driven to continuously invest back on their farms and are better positioned to withstand climate and market shocks.
For pet brands reliant on global agricultural inputs, this stability matters.
From organic baseline to Nature Positive
At Tradin Organic, organic gives us the baseline. Nature Positive pushes us further.
Organic establishes traceability, soil stewardship, biodiversity protection, and verified agricultural practices. But we wanted to go beyond, by actively restoring and enhancing nature across our supply chains. This led us to launch the Nature Positive Plan, our advanced sustainability strategy, earlier this year.
To ensure our approach is science-based and reflects emerging best practices, we aligned with the Nature Positive Initiative and joined its Forum of committed organizations. Creating nature-positive outcomes at scale requires collaboration across the value chain, so a crucial part of our plan is working with producers, brands, and retailers to unlock real, measurable impact.
Our program is based on four main pillars: Biodiversity & Soil, Climate, Water, and Communities, which were defined through our first double materiality assessment – a combination of impact, risk, and opportunity analysis to ensure our priorities reflected both social and environmental urgency as well as business relevance.
Under these pillars, we developed eight concrete targets, which are not the limit of our ambitions; but a clear and measurable starting point. We have begun piloting and deploying new tools to better measure, track and understand our impact including biodiversity indicators, soil health improvements, and climate resilience metrics.
Through our unique souring models and presence on the ground, we work directly with producers across origins, co-developing solutions tailored to local environmental and social contexts. This way, sustainability is approach systemically within our business operations and sourcing strategies.
In sum, the pet industry is entering an era where sustainability needs to be embedded into business operations and strategy if companies are to remain competitive and attractive.
Consumers are moving from conscious to confident. They expect evidence. Retailers are tightening documentation requirements. Regulators are mandating third-party verification The direction is clear: proof is replacing promise.
In this environment, verified organic sourcing brings structure to complexity.
Because organic certification is built on traceability, independent audits, and strict chain-of-custody controls, it provides:
- Credible, batch-level traceability back to origin
- Independent third-party verification
- Reduced greenwashing and regulatory risk
- Stronger retailer documentation and ESG alignment
- A foundation for measurable climate and biodiversity action
But certification alone is not the destination. It is the starting point.
At Tradin Organic, we see organic as the baseline. A verified, and well recognized system that ensures transparency, visibility and traceability all the way to the farm. Our Nature Positive Plan builds on that foundation, focusing on measurable impact across Biodiversity & Soil health, Climate, Water, and Communities. By integrating sustainability into governance, supplier approval, and farm-level engagement, we move beyond compliance toward ecosystem restoration and long-term supply resilience. Because sustainability today is inseparable from risk management, supply chain stability, and brand trust.
Healthier soils strengthen climate resilience. Diversified farming systems support farmer livelihoods. Traceability reduces regulatory exposure. Structured governance improves long-term business stability.
For brands navigating rising scrutiny, the real catch is knowing the challenges, risks and opportunities of your supply chains.
That begins with visibility:
- Do you know where and how your key ingredients are grown?
- Are soil health, water use, and climate risks understood at origin?
- Are sustainability claims independently verified?
- Are biodiversity and farmer resilience part of supplier evaluation?
References
Barański, M., et al. (2014). Higher antioxidant and lower cadmium concentrations and lower incidence of pesticide residues in organically grown crops: A systematic literature review and meta-analyses. British Journal of Nutrition.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/higher-antioxidant-and-lower-cadmium-concentrations-and-lower-incidence-of-pesticide-residues-in-organically-grown-crops-a-systematic-literature-review-and-metaanalyses/89E3C70F1E9C8D1F71A4C9B98B9C8F41
European Commission. Proposal for a Directive on Green Claims (2023).
https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/proposal-directive-green-claims_en
European Union. Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32022L2464
FAO. FAOSTAT – Greenhouse Gas Emissions Data.
https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/GT
Lori, M., et al. (2017). Organic farming enhances soil microbial abundance and activity — A meta-analysis and meta-regression. Scientific Reports, 7, 41315.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28700609/
Nature Positive Initiative.
https://www.naturepositive.org/
Reganold, J. P., & Wachter, J. M. (2016). Organic agriculture in the twenty-first century. Nature Plants, 2, 15221.
https://www.nature.com/articles/nplants2016221
Rodale Institute. Farming Systems Trial.
https://rodaleinstitute.org/science/farming-systems-trial/
Tuck, S. L., et al. (2014). Land-use intensity and the effects of organic farming on biodiversity: A hierarchical meta-analysis. Journal of Applied Ecology.
https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1365-2664.12219
The Pet Sustainability Coalition. (2025). State of Sustainability in the Pet Industry 2025.
https://petsustainability.org/
California Senate Bill 253 (Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act).
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB253
California Senate Bill 261 (Climate-Related Financial Risk Act).
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240SB261
About Tradin Organic
Tradin Organic is the global front runner in organic ingredients. They offer a full service portfolio based on their unique sourcing, sustainability initiatives and processing & distribution capabilities. Their extensive worldwide network of suppliers, processors and partners makes us a strong partner in the organic food industry today. To organic farmers in more than 60 countries of origin they are the link to manufacturers in West Europe, the US and Asia. For these manufacturers, they are a trusted partner, enabling them to successfully tap into the growing organic market. Tradin Organic sources premium, certified organic food ingredients for the international food industry, carrying more than 200 products from over 60 origins. As an international player with local presence in their markets, they are able to guide their clients through the journey of certification and offer tailor-made solutions to suit individual requirements.
Email: usa.info@tradinorganic.com
Website: www.tradinorganic.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/tradinorganic
Find Tradin Organic at Global Pet Expo 2026: Booth #5674
About the Pet Sustainability Coalition
The Pet Sustainability Coalition is a nonprofit that advances business in the pet industry through collaboration, education, and innovation. Founded in 2013 by eight companies, PSC now serves more than 200 member companies across the pet industry, helping them to progress on their sustainability practices, set and strive for ambitious goals, and report on their achievements. Additionally, PSC leads retailers, distributors, manufacturers, brands, and suppliers in pursuing collaborative solutions to some of the largest industry-wide issues, such as sustainable packaging and protein sourcing. Connect with them on LinkedIn and YouTube. Learn more at www.petsustainability.org. As a convener of diverse perspectives in the pet industry, PSC shares member news and achievements to foster dialogue and progress. Content does not necessarily reflect PSC’s official positions.