COFIN_Congressos i conferències
http://hdl.handle.net/10234/146186
2024-03-29T06:20:32ZAssurance of Food Loss and Waste Disclosure. Adoption of a Risk-based Approach to Evaluate the Materiality and Quality of Information
http://hdl.handle.net/10234/204950
Assurance of Food Loss and Waste Disclosure. Adoption of a Risk-based Approach to Evaluate the Materiality and Quality of Information
Álvarez-Albert, Luís; Ferrero-Ferrero, Idoya; Rivera-Lirio, Juana M.
Sustainability Reports (SR) are essential to encourage transparency by showing in a
balanced manner, information regarding environmental and social performance of
organizations. This is essential to all stakeholder in its decision-making process (García-
Sánchez, 2021). Nevertheless, since the content of these reports may be quantitative and
qualitative, as well as prospective and retrospective, this information is complex, sometimes
subjective, and difficult to compare between years and firms (CSRD, 2022). Based on the
signalling theory, the information contained in SR can be used as a signal by the
organization to its stakeholders about the level of sustainability performance, however, the
reliability of this information is in doubt and, an assurance process is an understandable
signal about the reliability and quality of the report (Hummel et al., 2019; Spence, 1973). An
assurance engagement helps to reduce information asymmetries and increase the
transparency and objectivity of the report, thus improving the credibility perceptions of
stakeholders (Junior et al., 2014; Yan et al., 2014). The assurance provider should have basic
requirements as professional judgement, scepticism, independence, ethic, expertise and
skills and training on sustainability, due diligence and auditing issues. However, there are
different standards and levels for an assurance engagement that influences its quality (ISAE
3000, AA1000AS, ISO26000, SA8000, among others). Most current engagements are
performed in a limited level (IFAC, 2022), where the risk of expressing an inappropriate
conclusion is higher than a reasonable engagement. For this reason, the quality of assurance
processes and its outcomes is questioned due to the lack of generally accepted regulation
and methods. In parallel, since organizations need to address and manage sustainability
risks, this information must be subject to a high-quality assurance process due to its
complexity and relevance. As Maroun (2020) stated, “the current assurance model is narrow
in audit risk model (…)”. For this purpose, adopting a risk-based approach making use of
available science-based assessment tools is crucial to enhance assurance quality. In this
study, we focus on the Food Loss and Waste (FLW) information from the agri-food system
due to its high social and environmental impacts. According to Eurostat (2022), it is
estimated that around 10 percent of food in the EU available to consumers may be wasted
whereas, 32.6 million people cannot afford a quality meal every second day (Eurostat, 2021).
For this purpose, stakeholders are demanding increasingly information regarding accurate
data of FLW, circular economy strategies and actions to prevent it and reduce it, and its
impacts in the food supply chain. In this sense, SR need to include this material information
and the assurance process must verify if this information is not materially misstated or
omitted, and if proportionated, evaluate the quality of this information. Having this into consideration, the objective of this study is to examine how FLW information is treated in the
Assurance of SR from agri-food organizations, and study whereas the materiality and quality
of this information is evaluated adopting a risk-based approach to enhance quality reporting.
Ponència presentada a: RETASTE: Rethink Food Resources, Losses, and Waste. 3rd International Conference, Athens, September 27-29, 2023.
2023-01-01T00:00:00ZAnalyzing the Use of Accounting Methodologies for Assessing Sustainability in Food Waste Prevention and Reduction Actions from ToNoWaste HEurope Project Approach
http://hdl.handle.net/10234/204932
Analyzing the Use of Accounting Methodologies for Assessing Sustainability in Food Waste Prevention and Reduction Actions from ToNoWaste HEurope Project Approach
Domingo-Morcillo, Elena; Escrig-Olmedo, Elena; Muñoz-Torres, María Jesus
The identification, validation, and demonstration of innovative and effective ways to reduce
food losses and waste is a key issue for a sustainable development. JRC workshop ‘Food
waste accounting: methodologies, challenges, and opportunities’, concluded that “a
harmonized methodology for food waste accounting is not yet defined and there is the need
of improving and matching methodological aspects and policy questions as the information
needs are different depending on the area of policy intervention” (Corrado et al., 2019).
Consequently, it is necessary to advance in the development of sustainability food loss and
waste prevention and reduction (FLWPR) accounting methodologies that integrate economic,
social, and environmental issues which overcome current limitations. In this context, the
goal of this paper is twofold. First, to analyze the current strengths and weaknesses of
existing accounting methodologies for assessing sustainability in FLWPR actions to define an
integrative sustainability assessment methodology. For this, a systematic mapping study of
European Research Projects is conducted with the aim of identifying and analyzing the
recent research projects developed in Europe focused on FLWPR to take them as a solid
foundation for the future research on this area. Specifically, this study adapts the research
method proposed by García-Holgado et al. (2019) for mapping studies and choses as sources
to conduct this research two main databases: CORDIS and BBI JU. Moreover, the study
covers European research projects from 2013 to 2023. To define this searching period, the
previous FUSIONS H2020 Project was taken as a reference of the analysis of FLWPR
accounting methodologies. Finally, a total of 21 projects were considered in the analysis
process. Based on the proposal of Bocken et al. (2014), a previous classification of projects
was estimated needed to make a proper analysis considering the specific particularities of
each kind of project. This classification was made attending to the nature of the solutions to
the problem of food losses and waste proposed by each project. The categories considered
are solutions based on technological aspects, social aspects, and organizational aspects.
Second goal is to test the assessment proposal by assessing some aspects related to the
sustainability of a specific FLWPR action, with the objective of showing how this method
could help to overcome the current limitations of existing accounting methodologies. In this
line, the testing process of this study will be mainly focused on the technological based
solutions.
Ponència presentada a: RETASTE: Rethink Food Resources, Losses, and Waste. 3rd International Conference, Athens, September 27-29, 2023.
2023-01-01T00:00:00Z