Level 3 Lead at scale At this level, companies can purchase major portions of their supply (~30-50%) from sustainable sources without paying “forever premiums”. Leading companies do this by putting in place integrated procurement and financing structures that support resilient, sustainable production. Partnerships become a critical enabler at this stage. Food companies collaborate across the value chain – with suppliers, customers and often with peers – and sometimes bring in stakeholders from adjacent industries that are buying from the same sourcing regions. Critically, they also partner with public and private financial institutions to support farmers through initiatives that align sustainability goals, share best practices and boost productivity. Equally important are pre- competitive partnerships that explore demand signals across companies and industries, sending a clear market message to producers and investors about the strength and direction of demand for resilient, sustainable commodities. These partnerships can be the cornerstone of resilient, sustainable sourcing models. Just as power purchase agreements in the energy space unlocked major financing, helped reduce costs and supported rapid roll-out of renewable energy developments, new types of partnerships in agriculture can accelerate growth in sustainability across supply- sheds, supported by first-mover companies. Essential elements Four building blocks are critical for large-scale models to succeed, each demanding next- generation partnership capabilities: –Clear demand signals: Clarity for suppliers on demand-side procurement intentions for commodity and sustainability outcomes that connect to scalable supply-side initiatives. –Comprehensive farmer services: Support coordinated by farmer-allied organizations, including access to financing, training and measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems, to help farmers build profitable regenerative businesses. –Value mechanisms: Systems that effectively value sustainable practices and outcomes, enable cost-sharing across relevant supply- chain actors and stimulate engagement. –Integrated financing: Blended capital structures that combine catalytic, concessional and commercial funding to make programmes scalable and affordable. These four building blocks were first championed in the FMC for Food’s breakthrough model for financing and collaboration, which demonstrates how pre-competitive collaboration can accelerate solutions to scale. The model is detailed in the World Economic Forum’s 2024 report, 100 Million Farmers: Breakthrough Models for Financing a Sustainability Transition.41 Why this level matters At this level, commercial and environmental benefits begin to reinforce each other. Programmes become affordable to operate at scale, without relying on consumer premiums, paving the way for system-wide participation. Market-shaping examples of companies leading at scale are illustrated below. The next section introduces two strategic sourcing pathways that companies use as they move into the higher levels of sourcing maturity. These put demand signals into practice and activate the capabilities required to advance resilient and sustainable sourcing. Two potential sourcing pathways for growing resilient, sustainable food procurement are spec- anchored sourcing and decoupled sourcing. To grow resilient, sustainable sourcing affordably, companies may need strategic sourcing pathways that turn demand signals into practical procurement action. These pathways help procurement teams achieve both sustainability and resilience outcomes at scale without relying on price premiums, by defining how buyers may engage suppliers, share costs where appropriate and shape long-term demand. The following two pathways offer distinct but complementary ways to operationalize this shift: spec-anchored sourcing and decoupled sourcing. While decoupled sourcing can help suppliers progress towards the standards required for spec-anchored sourcing over time, deciding which pathway to prioritize and pursue long-term will depend on commodity characteristics and sourcing context, as outlined in section 2.3 below.2.2 Identify strategic sourcing pathways for scale First Movers Coalition for Food: CEO Lessons for the Future of Food Procurement 13

First Movers Coalition for Food 2026