The environmental impacts of food production and consumption is shrouded with myths and counter-claims. Learn how to quantify the sustainability of food production and consumption with techniques like Life Cycle Assessment including the newly revise international water footprint.

Apply these methods to contrasting food chains. Apply critical thinking to ensure that your claims are defendable and transparent and become able to debunk greenwash about food.

Applications must be made via the Agrifood Training Partnership (AFTP) - see link above.

At a glance

  • Dates
    • Please enquire for course dates
  • DurationOne day
  • LocationCranfield campus
  • Cost£375 Concessions available

Course structure

The course will last one day. It is composed of lectures, practical sessions and group sessions. Practical sessions will give participants hands on experience of some LCA tools. Case studies will compare contacting food chains

What you will learn

On successful completion of this course you will be able to:

  • Critically compare different environmental claims,
  • Appreciate the complexities of food impacts beyond the carbon footprint or “food miles”,
  • Appreciate the strengths and limits of methods of quantifying environmental impacts,
  • Identify tensions between welfare, environment and economy,
  • Apply the rudiments of Life Cycle Assessment, Carbon Footprinting and Water Footprinting,
  • Recognise limits to dietary change in the real world.

Core content

  • Principles of LCA,
  • LCA vs carbon footprint,
  • LCA and the water footprint vs the old Water Footprint Network method,
  • Uncertainty and LCA,
  • International standards on environmental claims,
  • PAS 2050: what it does and does not do, 
  • Food and resources and limits to change (e.g. why we cannot all have quinoa or organic chicken).

Who should attend

Food producers, processors, distributors, consultants, commentators or passionate consumers. It is suited to those with technical, policy, corporate social responsibility or environmental interests and responsibilities.

Confidence in using quantitative methods is desirable.

Partnerships

This course is delivered in partnership with the Agrifood Training Partnership (AFTP)

AFTP logo - aqua

Concessions

20% discount for Cranfield alumni

10% discount for colleagues of alumni


Accommodation options and prices

This is a non-residential course. If you would like to book accommodation on campus, please contact Mitchell Hall or Cranfield Management Development Centre directly. Further information regarding our accommodation on campus can be found here.

Alternatively you may wish to make your own arrangements at a nearby hotel.

Location and travel

Cranfield University is situated in Bedfordshire close to the border with Buckinghamshire. The University is located almost midway between the towns of Bedford and Milton Keynes and is conveniently situated between junctions 13 and 14 of the M1.

London Luton, Stansted and Heathrow airports are 30, 90 and 90 minutes respectively by car, offering superb connections to and from just about anywhere in the world.

For further location and travel details

Location address

Cranfield University
College Road 
Cranfield 
Bedford
MK43 0AL

Read our Professional development (CPD) booking conditions.