Tailored knowledge: Understanding Sustain­ability

You know sustainability is essential, but how can you be sure your business is making the best choices? To support this, WUR developed the ACE tool, which measures the impact of your current situation as well as potential interventions, helping you make informed decisions.

Through TKI’s "Kennis op Maat" projects, companies can access developed knowledge and tools to enhance sustainability with minimal cash or in-kind contributions. The WUR project, "Duurzaamheid Begrepen," is part of these initiatives. Have questions about sustainability? Wageningen Biobased Research is seeking partners!

A case study includes an assessment of both the current situation and a proposed intervention. This could involve alternative raw materials, sourcing from other regions, new technologies, packaging, or transportation. The interventions can either be pre-determined or jointly defined. WUR's ACE tool shows the overall impact of changes in terms of CO2 footprint, energy, and water usage, breaking down this impact across the supply chain and specific activities, including processing steps. It also highlights which factors influence outcomes most across different scenarios.

Project Structure

Duration: Two years. Companies are expected to:

• Provide a case study: description of current situation, potential interventions; share data for calculations.
• Attend a kick-off workshop on the tool.
• Commit time and (travel) expenses to the project.

Funding: Companies are asked to contribute 5,000 EUR per case study, in cash and/or in-kind. The government doubles this contribution, providing 10,000 EUR in research capacity.

The research institution is seeking companies or organizations to include in the initial cluster of the Kennis op Maat project, starting in early 2025. More details are available on the website.