The latest findings from the 2026 State of the Baking Industry report conducted by Cypress Research shed light on the ongoing commitment to sustainability within the baking industry. Despite a slight decrease in engagement with sustainability initiatives, the majority of bakers and suppliers continue to prioritize sustainability as an integral part of their business practices. Many companies are now aligning sustainability efforts with their business objectives, focusing on enhancing efficiency and reducing costs.
However, the report also highlights a concerning trend of fewer companies setting measurable targets for their sustainability initiatives compared to previous years. Specifically, there has been a decline in the number of companies with formal targets for waste reduction, materials recycling, energy efficiency, sustainable packaging, renewable energy use, and regenerative agriculture.
Marjorie Hellmer, president of Cypress Research, expressed curiosity about the rationale behind this decrease in environmental targets. Despite some progress in areas such as waste reduction, materials recycling, and energy efficiency, there is still room for improvement in setting clear and measurable goals for sustainability initiatives.
The 2026 study also revealed that social and governance initiatives, such as employee safety, wages, wellness, and financial performance reporting, were more likely to have set targets compared to environmental initiatives. Companies are increasingly focusing on these areas to drive positive change within their organizations.
Overall, while progress has been made in certain areas of sustainability, there is still work to be done to ensure that companies across the baking industry are actively setting and achieving measurable targets for a more sustainable future.