Cattle Traceability: Regional Leadership

May 19–20 | São Paulo, Brazil
Organizers: Hosted by the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) and the Bezos Earth Foundation
Cattle Traceability: Regional Leadership is a two-day, in-person convening bringing together key stakeholders from across Latin America’s cattle supply chain. The meeting will focus on advancing traceability systems for beef and leather to help reduce deforestation. Participants will explore current approaches across the region, identify gaps and challenges, and highlight opportunities to scale effective solutions.
Through regional collaboration, the convening aims to strengthen national traceability systems by examining policy, technology, financing, and market drivers. Attendees will engage in knowledge exchange and alignment across Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
Contact Josefina Eisele ([email protected]) with interest in attending.
Nature Positive Report Executive Summary
Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef: Nature Positive Production and its Measurable Impact on the Beef Supply Chain
by Brodie Crouch, Hillary Fenrich and Josefina Eisele
We are marking an important milestone for GRSB with the release of the summary of the “Nature Positive Production and Its Measurable Impact on the Beef Supply Chain” report, developed by Brodie Crouch, Hillary Fenrich, and Josefina Eisele with support from the GRSB Nature Positive Working Group.
This work reflects continued progress toward GRSB’s 2030 Nature Positive goal and responds to a clear need across the beef value chain: practical, science-aligned approaches to measuring and demonstrating nature positive outcomes in real production systems.
The report provides guidance designed to support producers and value chain partners working across different regions and contexts. It does not prescribe a single method but instead draws on established global frameworks to support alignment and comparability in how nature-related outcomes are understood and applied.
Its release reflects a broader effort across the GRSB network to strengthen how nature outcomes are measured, communicated, and improved over time. We hope you will take a moment to read the summary (attached here) and engage with the work.
The full report is available exclusively to GRSB members. Read the executive summary at this link.
GRSB Releases New Nature Positive Metrics Report
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Releases New Guidance to Measure and Advance Nature Positive Production
APRIL 21 — The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) has published its new report, Nature Positive Production and its Measurable Impact on the Beef Supply Chain, providing science-aligned, practical guidance to support GRSB’s 2030 goal to ensure the beef value chain is a net positive contributor to nature.
Developed through the GRSB Nature Positive Production Working Group, the report is designed to help members, national and regional roundtables, producers, and value chain partners measure and demonstrate nature positive outcomes in beef production systems, while remaining adaptable to local contexts.
The report is not a certification or prescriptive standard, but a guidance document to support alignment, piloting of nature-related measurement, and high-integrity claims.
After reviewing recommended metrics across the Nature Positive Initiative, Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), and others, the report identifies three core biodiversity metrics that are widely recognized and can be applied at farm, landscape, and/or jurisdictional scales:
- Ecosystem extent: Measures the area and distribution of ecosystem types (e.g. forests or native grasslands) within a defined production unit or landscape.
- Ecosystem condition: Assesses ecological integrity or quality relative to a baseline, using indicators such as vegetation structure, species diversity, soil health, and habitat connectivity.
- Species-level metrics: Where relevant, may include measures such as species abundance, community indices, or extinction risk in landscapes where beef production overlaps with species of conservation concern.
Together, these metrics provide a practical foundation for assessing risks and opportunities in beef production systems.
Recognizing the diversity of beef production systems globally, the GRSB does not prescribe specific measurement methods. Instead, the report emphasizes the importance of:
- Local and regional context, including alignment with existing frameworks
- Relevant stakeholder consultation
- The use of globally consistent ecosystem typologies, such as the IUCN Global Ecosystem Typology, to support comparability
By supporting more consistent and credible measurement, the report addresses growing expectations from markets, governments, and financial institutions for nature-related data, while reinforcing the role of environmentally sound beef production in supporting resilient ecosystems, productive landscapes, and long-term food security.
The GRSB will build on this work through its Nature Positive Production Taskforce, working with members and national roundtables to pilot the application of these metrics in different regions and share learnings across the global network.
The full Nature Positive Metrics Report is available to GRSB members only. However, a summary of the report can be accessed here.
About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on advancing continuous improvement in the sustainability of the global beef value chain. Through collaboration, science, and innovation, GRSB works to ensure beef is produced responsibly, transparently, and in ways that benefit people, animals, and the planet.
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Media Contact:
Grace Vehige
[email protected]
2026 GRSB Board of Directors and Executive Committee Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Global Leadership Advancing Sustainable Beef: GRSB Announces 2026 Board of Directors and Executive Committee
December 2025 — The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) proudly announces the election of its 2026 Board of Directors and Executive Committee, representing a diverse range of perspectives from across the global beef value chain.
With leaders spanning various constituencies – producer organizations, processors, allied industries, retail, civil society, and regional roundtables – this year’s board highlights the GRSB’s continued commitment to multi-stakeholder collaboration and continuous improvement in beef sustainability.
“Many thanks to those who have served the GRSB board and are now transitioning out of service. We really appreciate your time and commitment,” Ruaraidh Petre, GRSB executive director, said. “We are delighted to welcome the new representatives to the board and are glad to see the range of experience and perspectives this brings to our leadership.”
The newly elected directors join a group of returning leaders who together will guide GRSB’s work to be a trusted part of a thriving food system in which the beef value chain is environmentally sound, socially responsible and economically viable.
The 2026 Executive Committee is as follows:
- President: Justin Sherrard, Breedr
- Vice President: Sebastian Olaso Aguierre, Sol Dorado
- Secretary/Treasurer: Shari Westerfeld, Zoetis
- Two-Year At-Large Member: Matthew Cleveland, ABS Global
- One-Year At-Large Member: Brian Lindsay, Dairy Sustainability Framework
- At-Large Member: Tim Hardman, FMG Global
- Immediate Past President: Bob Lowe, Tri-L Ranch
The 2026 Newly-Elected Board of Directors are as follows:
Producer Constituency:
- Canadian Cattlemen’s Association, Ryan Beierbach
- Cattle Australia, Will Evans
- Beef + Lamb New Zealand, Nicholas Jolly
Processing Constituency:
- Cargill, Eliza Clark
- Golden State Foods, Caleigh Payne
Allied Services and Industries Constituency:
- Alltech, Martha Baker
- Rabobank, Eva Gocsik
Retail Constituency:
- McDonald’s, Andrew Brazier
Civil Society Constituency:
- National Wildlife Federation, Karl Didier
Roundtable Constituency:
- Australian Beef Sustainability Framework, Patrick Hutchinson
- U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, Samantha Werth
The 2026 Incumbent Board of Directors are as follows:
Producer Constituency:
- Sol Dorado, Sebastian Olaso Aguirre
Processing Constituency:
Allied Services and Industries Constituency:
- AgriWebb, Nicole Buckley-Biggs
Retail Constituency:
- Restaurant Brands International, Tiago Pontes
Civil Society Constituency:
- The Meat Institute, Eric Mittenthal
- World Wildlife Fund, Fernando Bellese
Roundtable Constituency:
- Mesa Argentina de Carne Sustentable, Carlos Barrios Baron
- Mesa Uruguay de Carne Sostenible, Ignacio Storace
About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on advancing continuous improvement in the sustainability of the global beef value chain. Through collaboration, science, and innovation, GRSB works to ensure beef is produced responsibly, transparently, and in ways that benefit people, animals, and the planet.
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Media Contact:
Grace Vehige
[email protected]
Media Release
Global Beef Sustainability Conversations: From Insights to Actions in a Complex World
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TORONTO — Leaders and innovators from across the global beef value chain gathered in Toronto, Canada, on September 25, 2025, for the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB)’s Sustainability Communicators’ Summit.
Hosted immediately after the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef’s annual conference and a “Maple Leaf Beef Tour,” the event explored public perceptions of beef industry sustainability using findings from new GRSB global research. The study examined global beef consumption patterns, alignment with GRSB’s sustainability goals, key indicators of sustainability, and how these insights can inform more effective engagement and communications strategies.
The Sustainability Communicators Summit was guided by the theme “Global Beef Sustainability Conversations: From Insights to Actions in a Complex World,” which highlighted the importance of using public perception insights, knowledge sharing, and dialogue to advance sustainability across the industry. By bringing together a wide range of stakeholders, the Summit reinforced the value of collaboration in addressing complex challenges through expert insights, open dialogue, and information sharing.
The event featured presentations, expert panels and interactive workshops for attendees, and it closed with an energizing capstone session led by Canadian public trust expert Crystal Mackay of Loft32 on how to support the people who feed the world.
“The global beef sustainability community comes together through the GRSB, and communicating our collective commitment is a core shared value,” said Andrea White, Chair of the GRSB Communications Council and Director of Marketing & Stakeholder Relations for the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB). “It was an honour to host this year’s Communicators’ Summit and the new information gathered through our public perceptions study, along with the diverse perspectives of our value chain members, experts and those involved in policy and communications around the world shows the power of that collaborative effort.”
Highlights of the event included:
- A preview of the GRSB global perception research conducted by Abacus Data
- Brainstorming sessions exploring how consumer insights can drive stronger sustainability strategies
- A panel of global value chain leaders discussing proactive engagement with policymakers to align on shared goals
The summit emphasized that beyond sharing data, bringing together diverse stakeholders drives collective progress and strengthens sustainability efforts across the beef value chain by energizing people into action.
For more information on GRSB’s initiatives and upcoming events, visit grsbeef.org.
About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on advancing continuous improvement in the sustainability of the global beef value chain. Through collaboration, science, and innovation, GRSB works to ensure beef is produced responsibly, transparently, and in ways that benefit people, animals, and the planet.
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Media Contact: Grace Vehige ([email protected])
Media Release
Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Launches Position Paper on Beef’s Role in Sustainable, Nutritious Diets
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Organizational contact:
Ruaraidh Petre
[email protected]
SEPTEMBER 25 — The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) has released a new comprehensive position paper discussing the role of beef in sustainable, nutritious diets.
Developed through collaboration between GRSB members and independent experts in nutrition, sustainability, and development, the paper positions sustainable beef as a cornerstone of resilient and inclusive food systems by underscoring its role in human nutrition, livelihoods, environmental stewardship, and the economy.
“GRSB was formed to address the sustainability challenges that face the beef sector, whether they are social, environmental or economic. We brought together a diverse group of people to contribute to this paper, as we realised there was a need for a nuanced perspective on the role of beef in sustainable and nutritious diets,” said Ruaraidh Petre, executive director of GRSB.
The release of this position paper is an important milestone for advancing the global conversation on sustainable food systems.
“While there has been a move to consider environmental impact in dietary guidelines, a true systems perspective is too often missed. The interactions between the health of the land we use to produce food on, the people who eat it and the livelihoods of those who produce it are numerous and complex,” Petre said. “Different types of land support various types of food production as well as different habitat that can maintain biodiversity. Finding a balance between these things will enable us to feed a growing population and contribute to the sustainable development goals without unduly prescriptive dietary guidelines.”
The full position paper is available for download here.
GRSB welcomes continued dialogue with those who are interested in exploring these insights. For media inquiries or to arrange an interview with GRSB Executive Director Ruaraidh Petre, contact Grace Vehige at [email protected].
About the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
The Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) is a global, multi-stakeholder initiative focused on advancing continuous improvement in the sustainability of the global beef value chain. Through collaboration, science, and innovation, GRSB works to ensure beef is produced responsibly, transparently, and in ways that benefit people, animals, and the planet.
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