Paris Dairy Declaration

A formal commitment by the dairy sector to contribute to the achievement of key Sustainable Development Goals

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IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability

The Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability is the continuation of the Dairy Declaration of Rotterdam, where the dairy sector committed to:

“Build capacity in support of sustainable practices and provide enabling conditions to measure and report on sustainability outcomes, strengthen multi-stakeholder dialogue & consensus building, review progress, and ensure continuous improvement.”

The IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability represents the Global Dairy Community and reinforces the dairy Community commitments for a sustainable transformation of the dairy sector. The IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability aims to achieve these goals by:

Raising visibility around the engagements the dairy sector is taking, including stocktaking of tangible and publicly known commitments, and its contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Shaping the conversation on sustainability, considering all its dimensions.
Showcasing the positive agenda of the dairy industry on sustainability to address the ‘triple challenge’ of:

Providing food security and a sustainable source of nutrition.
Supporting the approximately one billion people who depend on the dairy sector for their livelihood.
Transforming dairy systems to be more environmentally friendly.

4. Creating awareness of public-private partnerships among national, regional, and international institutions and governments to facilitate the transition to an increasingly sustainable dairy sector.

Contents of the Initiative

The IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability was launched during the IDF World Dairy Summit (WDS) 2024 in Paris, during IDF Leaders’ Forum in Sustainability. Held at the end of the IDF WDS, this high-level event invited dairy decision-makers to share aspirations for the future. FAO, member states, and private foundations discussed future involvement. Coordinated by FAO and IDF, this forum became the future public-private multistakeholder platform on sustainable dairy, with the ambition to unlock solutions according to regional/national circumstances.

Press Conference: The forum ended with a press conference where the call for private-public partnerships was emphasized by IDF and FAO.
IDF Dairy Sustainability Roadmap to 2030: A Task Force has been formed and together with the IDF science program coordination committee will develop a work plan to prepare the dairy sector’s response for the 2030 agenda, in collaboration with FAO.

Stocktaking of Sustainable Actions

The stocktaking does not attempt to be exhaustive and is evolving. It is restricted to the quantified and timetabled commitments over the coming years, which are publicly available. The stocktaking is organised in four chapters: Health/Nutrition, Economic security, Natural resources stewardship and Climate change. The Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability embraces all pillars of sustainability and goes beyond climate change. As an inclusive initiative, it incorporates commitments, as well as those from other projects like the Dairy Sustainability Framework or Pathways to Dairy Net Zero.

The commitments contained in the annex stocktaking must be:

Role of IDF in this Initiative

The International Dairy Federation (IDF) represents the global voice of the dairy sector and has been recognized as the leading source of expertise and scientific knowledge since 1903. As a science-based international organization, IDF can lead global, neutral, pre-competitive actions on sustainable dairy while encouraging collaboration through locally implemented private-public partnerships. Through its members and science-based work, IDF can identify best practices adaptable to varied local situations and disseminate this information.

Added Value of this Initiative

By 2030, nations will need to deliver the Nationally Determined Contributions of the Sustainable Development Goals and show their progress in achieving these goals. Building on the Dairy Declaration of Rotterdam of 2016, where the global dairy sector unitedly declared its engagement to the UN 2030 Agenda, this new initiative continues the journey by showcasing practical examples of the continuous actions of the global dairy sector. It recognizes the important role the dairy sector plays as part of the solution.

The IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability highlights the tangible commitments undertaken by dairy operators toward various pillars of sustainability (climate change, nutrition, health, economic security, natural resources stewardship, etc.) and send a clear message to governments, decision-makers, and the public about the dynamism of the dairy sector.

Furthermore, it calls upon public-private partnerships for governments, public and private institutions to create the business environment needed to facilitate the positive agenda of the dairy sector and help dairy operators and organizations do even more.

Signatories of the IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability

The signatories will be the IDF President and FAO representative. Governments, farmer organizations, CEOs of dairy companies, dairy groups, and other organizations will have the opportunity to support the overall initiative.

Inclusion of Dairy Operators

All dairy operators can be mentioned in the stocktaking, provided they have formalized quantified and timetabled commitments over the coming years, which are freely accessible.

Evolution of the IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability

As an evolving process, stakeholders committed to sustainable dairy will have the opportunity to share their continuous engagements.

Reporting Process

Dairy actors included in the stocktaking do not have to undertake a specific reporting process of their actions. The IDF stocktaking is an inclusive initiative, highlighting tangible commitments, regardless of their certification method. This initiative is not intended to impose any additional reporting and will use publicly available information.

Launch Date

The IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability was launched on October 18, 2024, at the closing of the Dairy Leaders’ Forum on Sustainability organized in Paris, following the conclusion of the annual IDF WDS.

Role of IDF National Committees

International Dairy Federation’s National Committees can function as local relays to operators willing to be part of the initiative.

Agreement of Dairy Operators

It is not necessary to have the agreement of the dairy operators mentioned in the stocktaking, as all quoted commitments derive from free-access documents. However, IDF National Committees can assist in contacting the concerned operators to access the most up-to-date information.

Inclusion of Dairy Operators

All dairy operators can be mentioned in the stocktaking, provided they have formalized quantified and timetabled commitments over the coming years, which are freely accessible.

Evolution of the IDF Paris Dairy Declaration on Sustainability

As an evolving process, stakeholders committed to sustainable dairy will have the opportunity to share their continuous engagements.

Reporting Process

Launch Date

Download and read the 2025 Quantified Commitments IDF Paris declaration

View the List of current Dairy Declaration signatories

English

Signed Declaration agreement

French

Declaration agreement

Japanese

Declaration agreement

Chinese

Declaration agreement

Spanish

Declaration agreement

Dutch

Declaration agreement

In the Dairy Declaration, the dairy sector agrees to:

Take an integrated approach to promote the sustainability of dairy systems, jointly taking into consideration social, economic, health and environmental dimensions
Give particular attention to the needs of family farmers, small holders and pastoralists
Build, implement and disseminate tools and guidelines to facilitate the identification and adoption of sustainable practices in the dairy sector
Build capacity in support of sustainable practices and provide enabling conditions
Measure and report on sustainability outcomes
Strengthen multi-stakeholder dialogue for consensus building, reviewing progress and continuous improvement.

Dairy’s commitment to sustainable development

The dairy sector has a key role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda. As an innovative sector with a deep commitment to environmental good practice and nutritional benefit, we take pride in the fact that our nutritious products can play such an important part in meeting global sustainability and nutritional responsibilities and ambitions.

The Declaration recognizes the essential role of dairy products for balanced, nutritious, and healthy diets. Its goals integrate the three pillars of sustainability (social, economic, and environmental) and call for commitment from all stakeholders.

There are currently signatories to the declaration, means that countries representing more than half of the world’s milk production are committed to the sustainable development of the global dairy sector and the generation of widespread social, economic, and environmental benefits. We hope to welcome more countries and members of the dairy chain from around the world to the Dairy Declaration pledge in support of sustainability and the positive contributions to food security, employment generation, poverty reduction and the management of ecosystems to maintain biodiversity.

Supporting the sector to achieve sustainable development

IDF has aligned its overarching strategic goals with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and we are delivering on these commitments through work at national level and the IDF programme of work.

Our regular Dairy Sustainability Outlook reports showcases examples of sustainable dairying by IDF members. It features ongoing activities and the latest initiatives to ensure sustainable dairy, including: