The Manifesto
We*, undersigned, (*CEOs of major European Bakeries, national federations of large bakeries, millers, cooperatives, suppliers, value chain partners & stakeholders) believe that sustainability is essential for the resilience of the sector and our credibility with consumers & other stakeholders.
We firmly believe that the transition to low-carbon wheat & wheat flour produced with sustainable agricultural practices, such as regenerative agriculture, is the most important pillar to achieve this.
We want to make this transition in a trusting, pre-competitive, efficient and coordinated way with a correct rhythm and transparent roadmap, so that farmers and other value chain actors can plan accordingly.
The entire European bakery sector consumes ~25 million tons of wheat, representing 12,5 million tons of CO₂-equivalent emissions. As the federation of industrial bakeries (AIBI) including a significant part of their large bakeries’ CEO’s, we represent a critical mass of ~50% and have a responsibility and opportunity for change.
That’s why, as bakery sector*, we express our ambition to reduce our wheat & wheat flour emissions by 30% by 2030 compared to 2022, in line with the latest climate science. This ambition represents a gradual shift of conventional wheat & wheat flour volumes to sustainable wheat & wheat flour with a -30% carbon footprint per kg by 2030.
Ultimately, we want to support European wheat farmers and millers so that this transition can happen in a way that is fair for the whole value chain and the bakery sector can purchase sufficient volumes and the right quality of sustainable wheat flour in a predictable and cost-effective manner.
We sign up for a sustainable future of bakery in Europe.
Text subject to adaptation depending on the ecosystem partners joining between now & launch in June 2025.
This Manifesto should be read in conjunction with the guidance on the implementation of the SWIE Manifesto.
We will need to forge strong partnerships across the wheat value chain & ecosystem. This starts with AIBI, the European federation of large bakeries, by jointly making bold commitments and developing a shared vision for regenerative agriculture, as summarized in the Manifesto.
We invite bakery companies, craft bakers, millers, cooperatives and farmers – the core partners in the ecosystem – to sign the manifesto and join the coalition of action.
Federations, suppliers, customers and other value chain partners can express their support to the initiative as well and sign as up as supportive member. Bakery companies for whom joining as active member is too soon as they need more time to prepare, can first join as a supportive stakeholder and join later as an active member.
We invite you to sign up prior to the official launch moment at the Sustainable Wheat Initiative symposium in June 2025, yet it is possible to sign up any time also during and after the symposium.
Important: Prior to the launch of the Manifesto in June 2025, a final version of the manifesto will be sent to all parties that already signed up via this webform, with the request to re-confirm their participation.
We will need to forge strong partnerships across the wheat value chain & ecosystem. This starts with AIBI, the European federation of large bakeries, by jointly making bold commitments and developing a shared vision for regenerative agriculture, as summarized in the Manifesto.
We invite bakery companies, craft bakers, millers, cooperatives and farmers – the core partners in the ecosystem – to sign the manifesto and join the coalition of action.
Federations, suppliers, customers and other value chain partners can express their support to the initiative as well and sign as up as supportive member. Bakery companies for whom joining as active member is too soon as they need more time to prepare, can first join as a supportive stakeholder and join later as an active member.
We invite you to sign up prior to the official launch moment at the Sustainable Wheat Initiative symposium in June 2025, yet it is possible to sign up any time also during and after the symposium.
Important: Prior to the launch of the Manifesto in June 2025, a final version of the manifesto will be sent to all parties that already signed up via this webform, with the request to re-confirm their participation.
SIGN AS ACTIVE MEMBER
You join the coalition of action and commit to the ambition of reducing the carbon emissions of wheat & wheat flour you purchase with 30% per tonne versus your 2022 baseline, and this by 2030.
To track progress, you will publicly report (on your website, in your sustainability report) your Scope 3 carbon footprint and wheat & wheat flour carbon footprint yearly, at the latest as of 2027, aligned to the European CSRD reporting timelines.
SIGN AS SUPPORTIVE STAKEHOLDER
You support the overall ambition & initiative but cannot commit (yet) to a 30% reduction roadmap as you are not actively purchasing wheat/flour or have no roadmap defined yet. In case of the latter, you engage to prepare and join the coalition of action soon.
