Environmental Baselining and Impact Measurement in Climate Positive Farming | LEAF Surgery

In this LEAF Surgery session, we explore how environmental baselining can evolve from simple data collection into a powerful tool for decision‑making, farm resilience, and value creation across the supply chain.We were joined by two expert speakers:Sarah Haynes, Head of Sustainability at the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) – sharing insights from IGD’s work on the value of baselining England’s farmland and why coordinated, large‑scale approaches matter. Carolien Samson, Head of Sustainable Farming at Oxbury Bank – discussing how baselining underpins investment decisions, risk management, and the transition to more resilient farming systems.Key TakeawaysDifferent stakeholders need different levels of data – from individual farms to national and global supply chains – causing fragmentation. Baselining offers both environmental and economic benefits, but greater alignment is needed to reduce duplication and reporting burdens. “Good enough and scalable” metrics are often more useful than “perfect” data. Strong governance and transparency build trust and unlock value for everyone. Farmers must stay at the centre, ensuring data genuinely supports on‑farm decisions and delivers real benefits.Support the show