Practical challenges with LCA/PEFCR Feed implementation

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1. Introduction

This survey aims to support compound feed producers in strengthening their capabilities in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
and the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) Feed methodology.By participating, you contribute
to the development of practical training and guidance tailored to the real needs of small and medium-sized feed companies.
This will help companies improve their environmental assessments, respond to customer and regulatory requirements,
and enhance transparency in sustainability reporting.

The survey focuses on your practical experience with LCA and PEFCR Feed for food-producing animals.
We aim to better understand the challenges, uncertainties,and knowledge gaps companies encounter in daily practice.

If you do not know the answer to a question, please select “I am not sure” where applicable.

The results will be used to develop targeted, hands-on training and support, in collaboration with Wageningen University & Research.

Duration: 15-20 minutes

Confidentiality: Responses are anonymous and will be analysed in aggregate.

1. Company size (number of employees)

2. Main activity

3. Animal sector(s) (select all that apply)

4. Your main role in the company

5.In which country do you primarily work?

6. What language do you use primarily at work?

Market demand and implementation barriers

This section examines customer demand for environmental footprint information
and identifies the main barriers companies face when implementing Life Cycle Assessments
and the PEFCR Feed.

7. Have you ever worked with Life Cycle Assessment or a product environmental footprint?

Yes, I have calculated internally

Yes, via consultant or software

Only reviewed supplier/customer results

8. Do customers request environmental information?

Frequently

Sometimes

Rarely

Never

9. What do customers request most? (Select up to 3)

Carbon footprint

Full Life Cycle Assessment (16 impact categories)

Specific impact indicators (climate, land, water, eutrophication)

Deforestation-free / land-use change information

ESG report

Origin information of products

Other (please specify)

10. What are the main barriers to making a Life Cycle Assessment or applying PEFCR Feed? (Select up to 3)

Knowing how to start
This section assesses how prepared companies feel to start a Life Cycle Assessment in
line with PEFCR Feed and identifies which aspects of the initial set‑up are perceived as most unclear.

11. If your company decided to do a Life Cycle Assessment in accordance with the PEFCR Feed tomorrow, how prepared would you feel?

Well prepared

Somewhat prepared, but with some uncertainty

Not prepared

I am not sure

12. Which aspects of the initial set-up of a Life Cycle Assessment calculation in accordance with PEFCR Feed are most unclear?
(Select up to 3)

Awareness and conceptual familiarity
This section assesses respondents’ general understanding of Life Cycle Assessment concepts
and key terminology relevant to PEFCR Feed.

13. What is the main purpose of a Life Cycle Assessment?

To calculate only greenhouse gas emissions

To assess multiple environmental impacts across the full life cycle of a product

To evaluate only the environmental performance of a company site

I am not sure

14. In the context of a Life Cycle Assessment, what does the term “functional unit” refer to?

The size of the production facility

A reference unit that defines what is being assessed (e.g. 1 tonne of feed)

The total annual production volume

I am not sure

15. In which situations is allocation needed in a Life Cycle Assessment?

When a process produces more than one product

When data is missing

When emissions are low

I am not sure

16. Under Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) rules, what is the importance of defining system boundaries?

It determines which life cycle stages are included in the assessment

It defines the financial cost of the product

It sets the company’s annual sustainability target

I am not sure

17. A feed product contains soy from different origins with different land-use impacts.
For a PEFCR Feed compliant footprint calculation, which aspect is most important in this situation?

Using one average emission factor for all soy

Differentiating data by origin where required

Reporting only total soy volume

I am not sure

Data collection and practical stress points
This section examines how companies currently collect environmental data for their products
and identifies data related challenges and stress points when working in line with PEFCR Feed.

18. Do you currently collect environmental data for products?

Yes, in a structured and regular way

Yes, some data, but not structured

No, not currently

19. What types of data do you currently have available? (Select all that apply)

20. Which data-related aspects are most challenging under PEFCR Feed? (Select up to 3)

Knowing which data is mandatory

Collecting primary data at site level

Obtaining reliable data from suppliers

Land use / land-use change data

Data quality requirements

Handling missing data

Verifying data reliability

Converting data into required format

Other (please specify)

21. What creates the most stress in data collection? (Select up to 2)

Suppliers do not provide sufficient data

Data are inconsistent or unreliable

Time required to gather data

Uncertainty about what is “good enough”

Fear of non-compliance

Internal coordination across departments

IT/data system limitations

I am not sure what is expected

Other (please specify)

Training design priorities

22. What would help you most? (Select up to 3)

23. Please select the topics you need most support on

24. If a practical training on implementing PEFCR Feed (focused on practical knowledge for feed companies)
were organised in the next 6–12 months, how likely would your company be to participate?

Very likely, I would plan to register

Likely, depending on format and cost

Possibly interested, need more information

Unlikely at this time

Not interested

25. Is there any additional feedback, challenges, or topics related to LCA or PEFCR Feed that you would like
to share and that were not addressed in the previous questions?

26. Interested in supporting the development of this training? Please indicate your name and email and we will reach out to you.

Information on upcoming training opportunities and practical support will be shared through the GMP+ Academy, the GMP+ newsletter,
and via our LinkedIn channel.

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