Altruistiq Hosts State of Sustainability Food & Beverage Summit in Chicago

Industry leaders gather to discuss product carbon footprints, supply chain engagement, and sustainability innovation

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CHICAGO - Altruistiq recently hosted its State of Sustainability Food & Beverage Summit in Chicago, bringing together over 40 sustainability professionals from across the industry. The one-day event, held on March 19, featured expert panels and discussions focused on advancing sustainability practices throughout the food and beverage value chain.

"The energy at the summit was electric," said Bethany Jones, representative from Altruistiq. "We created a space for meaningful collaboration and knowledge-sharing among industry leaders committed to sustainable transformation."

Key highlights from the summit included:

The Evolution of Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs)
Speakers Erin Augustine (Oatly), Katelyn Boisvert (Amcor), and Alex Winters (Ardagh Glass) presented insights on how PCFs are enhancing value chain communication. Jamie Dujardin of Altruistiq showcased grant-funded work with Unilever, PACT, and Digital Catapult on PCF data structures, with particular focus on optimising company-supplier engagement.

Supply Chain Engagement Strategies
Catherine Rueppel (The Coca-Cola Company) and Autumn Fox (Mars) shared their expertise implementing data-driven supplier programs at scale, noting that mass supplier surveys are becoming obsolete in favour of more targeted, effective approaches.

Agricultural Sustainability
Adam Henkel, a seventh-generation Illinois farmer, provided perspectives on the business value of sustainability transition. Marc Rakoczy (Suntory) and Greg Goodwin (IL Corn) demonstrated their collaborative efforts on sustainable corn production.

Water Stewardship Development
David Spitzley (Starbucks) shared expertise on water strategy, measurement, and data collection—highlighting an area that requires further innovation and standardisation across the industry.

Packaging Innovation
Mackenzie Crigger (International Paper) and Bethany Jones closed the sessions with practical frameworks for packaging collaboration, from supplier innovation pitches to brand-led strategies.

The Chicago summit marks the first of several planned industry gatherings by Altruistiq, with a European edition scheduled for later this year.

About Altruistiq
Altruistiq is a leading Sustainability Intelligence platform trusted by companies across the agriculture value chain. Offering one source of truth to reduce your footprint, Altruistiq integrates Corporate Footprinting, Product Footprinting, and Supply Chain Engagement into a single platform.

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