Tracking environmental performance in 2024 with powerful customer and supplier chain heatmaps

In this article, we are excited to share our latest insights from our Tesco Customer and Supplier Chain heatmap, which focuses on tracking environmental performance. This heatmap offers a comprehensive visualization of how various companies, both customers and suppliers, fare across multiple environmental categories. It is an invaluable resource for businesses committed to enhancing their environmental sustainability and compliance.

Key elements of our Tesco Customer and Supplier environmental performance heatmap

Topic / category

The heatmap focuses on environmental factors within our taxonomy for the leading supermarket chain Tesco, encompassing a broad range of issues. These include:

  • Affordable and clean Energy
  • Biodiversity
  • Carbon emissions
  • Clean water and sanitation
  • Climate action
  • Deforestation
  • Emissions
  • Environmental impact
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Natural disasters
  • Natural resources
  • Packaging material and waste
  • Pollution
  • Raw materials
  • Recycling
  • Toxic emissions

These categories represent critical areas where companies must focus their environmental efforts to create a sustainable future. Tracking environmental performance across these categories is essential for identifying both strengths and areas needing improvement.

Companies

Our Tesco Customer and Supplier environmental performance heatmap lists companies as either customers or suppliers, categorized under various industries like beverages and food. Each company’s performance is assessed across the specified environmental categories.

Performance indicators

Each cell in our Tesco Customer and Supplier environmental performance heatmap represents a percentage value, indicating a company’s level of performance or compliance in a specific environmental category:

  • Positive percentages (shades of blue) indicate high compliance or positive performance.
  • Negative percentages (shades of red) indicate low compliance or poor performance.

For instance, Coca-Cola, listed under beverages, exhibits a mixed performance with:

  • 100% in affordable and clean energy and biodiversity.
  • 95% in carbon emissions.
  • -87% in animal welfare.
  • -94% in toxic emissions.

Interpretation of key companies

Coca-Cola (Customer, Beverages)

Coca-Cola shows strong performance in categories like affordable and clean energy (100%), biodiversity (100%), and carbon emissions (95%). These scores reflect the company’s commitment to sustainable energy practices, biodiversity conservation, and reducing its carbon footprint. However, Coca-Cola’s poor performance in animal welfare (-87%) and toxic emissions (-94%) is concerning. These low scores suggest significant room for improvement in how the company handles animal welfare and manages toxic substances. Addressing these issues could involve re-evaluating supplier practices, enhancing animal welfare policies, and investing in cleaner technologies to reduce toxic emissions. By focusing on tracking environmental performance, Coca-Cola can enhance its overall sustainability profile and mitigate risks associated with environmental and ethical concerns.

Casino, Guichard (Customer, Food)

Casino, Guichard demonstrates exemplary performance across multiple environmental categories, achieving 100% in many areas. This consistency highlights the company’s dedication to comprehensive environmental management. The high scores indicate effective implementation of policies and practices that promote clean energy, biodiversity, and low carbon emissions. Casino, Guichard’s approach to tracking environmental performance can serve as a model for other companies, showcasing how strong environmental performance across various categories can be achieved through committed efforts and strategic investments. This robust performance not only strengthens the company’s reputation but also positions it favorably with environmentally conscious consumers and stakeholders.

General Mills (Customer, Food)

General Mills presents a balanced environmental performance. The company excels in affordable and clean energy (100%) and biodiversity (99%), showing a strong commitment to renewable energy use and biodiversity preservation. However, the lower scores in pollution (33%) and animal welfare (59%) highlight areas that require attention. To improve its environmental footprint, General Mills could focus on reducing pollutants through better waste management and cleaner production processes. Additionally, enhancing animal welfare practices could involve stricter standards for suppliers and increased transparency in sourcing. By actively tracking environmental performance, General Mills can reinforce its commitment to sustainability and improve its overall environmental performance.

Kellogg (Customer, Food)

Kellogg‘s performance is mixed, with outstanding scores in affordable and clean energy (100%) but lower performance in climate action (34%). While the company is successful in implementing renewable energy practices, the low score in climate action suggests that more aggressive measures are needed to combat climate change. This could involve setting more ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, investing in climate-resilient infrastructure, and advocating for stronger climate policies. By enhancing its efforts in tracking environmental performance, Kellogg can contribute more significantly to global sustainability goals and demonstrate leadership in climate responsibility.

Pilgrim’s Pride (Supplier, Food)

Pilgrim’s Pride shows notable negative performances in animal welfare (-50%) and packaging material and waste (-84%). These scores indicate significant challenges in managing animal welfare standards and waste production. To address these issues, Pilgrim’s Pride could implement more humane animal treatment practices and adopt sustainable packaging solutions. Reducing packaging waste might involve increasing the use of recyclable or biodegradable materials and improving packaging efficiency. By prioritizing tracking environmental performance, Pilgrim’s Pride can enhance its environmental sustainability and align better with industry standards and consumer expectations.

Purpose and utility of the environmental performance heatmap

This heatmap example serves as a visual tool to quickly assess and compare the environmental performance of different companies within a supply chain. It enables Tesco and its stakeholders to identify areas of strength and weakness in their environmental policies and practices. Companies can leverage these insights to:

  • Improve sustainability strategies: By pinpointing weak areas, companies can develop targeted initiatives to improve their environmental impact.
  • Ensure compliance: Regular monitoring helps in complying with environmental regulations and standards.
  • Promote transparency: Sharing performance data fosters transparency with stakeholders, including investors, customers, and regulatory bodies.

Tracking environmental performance – final thoughts 

At Permutable AI, our Customer and Supplier Chain heatmap provides a comprehensive overview of the environmental performance of various companies within Tesco’s supply chain and can be replicated for any company. It highlights strengths and areas needing improvement across different environmental categories. This tool is a valuable resource for businesses aiming to enhance their environmental sustainability and compliance.

By focusing on key environmental metrics, companies can not only improve their ecological footprint but also drive long-term sustainability. Tracking environmental performance is essential for making informed decisions that benefit both the planet and the bottom line. At Permutable AI, we are committed to empowering businesses with the tools and insights needed to navigate the complexities of environmental sustainability and make informed decisions.

For more insights and to see how our technology can benefit your organization, contact us directly below. Together, we can drive meaningful progress towards a more sustainable future