Plugged in: ways on gathering information related to food sustainability

Many consider information to be a key resource within the business and in general. In most cases, the more you know, the better it is. However, as it is with everything, too much of anything can be a bad thing. With information, too much can mean that the individual or organisation cannot effectively identify which data is useful and which needs to be scrapped away. Sifting through lots of information can waste valuable resources, as not all that information will be usable. However, it can be difficult to initially determine which information is critical and which can be discarded without having to evaluate all of it. This is where knowledge management systems can be useful. These systems can quickly navigate through large datasets and determine which are useful for any given purpose. Knowledge management helps firms to realise the power of information. How information is treated is one aspect of the process, but the collection of the information is also a vital step. If the information collected is faulty, then even the results will be faulty. So the information is only as good as its source. The collection of information can either be passive or active. Active information seeking and searching is more targeted and can result in information that is focused on the goal. Passive forms of information collection are more random and can either be useful or result in data that is not beneficial for the purpose. Du and Costello (2025) investigated how individuals that are interested in food sustainability remain updated on sustainability-related information.When individuals stumble upon certain information, this is considered serendipity. While researching, individuals can unexpectedly come across information that is beneficial. This can happen when either the information is completely unrelated to the search or when the search has led to a different path than intended. Either way, this can be a useful information source. However, the randomness of these scenarios can mean that it can be difficult to make intentional discoveries. With serendipitous situations, the case is usually that one cannot pinpoint what behaviour or activities led to the discovery. In this case, it can be difficult to replicate those conditions to achieve more results. Even if this was possible, then they may not yield the same results. When firms find information when they were searching for something else or when they were not searching at all, it can undermine the knowledge management process. Knowledge management is based on the systematic transition of data; therefore, a certain order is expected. When this order is disrupted, the entire process is called into question. Relying on luck to gain useful information is not a viable strategy. However, it can still be an effective one.Even when considering sustainability, which is a newer concept within business, the key to success is having the right information at the right time. As this is a developing field, it is a time-sensitive matter to find ways that firms can integrate sustainability within their current business practices. Information landscapes can provide a way for individuals and organisations to know information. Through interactions with others, objects and even communities, a vast amount of knowledge can be gained. This knowledge does not always have to come from an academic source. In many cases, the most useful information is the one gained through natural interactions. When each party is sharing openly without regard for formality, it can lead to gems of wisdom. Through basic human interactions, firms can gain insight into several topics and areas. Information does not always have to be formal; those collected through sensory or lived experiences can offer nuance that formal knowledge cannot. Rather than being collected, this information is encountered. How organisations interact and use this information can determine whether they can yield lasting results or not.Food-related sustainability is also a sensitive field because of the nature of the business. When it comes to food, health and safety is a major concern. Even when considering sustainability, ensuring the food practices are ethical and safe is an industry standard. Therefore, information around sustainable food practices needs to be accurate. The quality of food products is critical, and so it makes sense that consumers rely on several inputs of information to make decisions. For example, incorporating sensory elements into decision-making is something organisations may not account for. Using taste, touch and sight is appropriate for food products because of the nature of the offering. However, in other cases this may not be accurate. That is why, rather than just relying on one or a few information sources, there is a need to incorporate various ranges of sources. This can ensure a more holistic approach to decision-making, even when considering sustainability. This is the very essence of sustainability: integrating different and new ways into existing systems to make them more efficient. Applying this same framework to food sustainability information can yield great rewards. The one thing to note is that even with all the information in the world, there is no foolproof plan. When things go wrong, organisations should be quick to adjust and adapt instead of wallowing in the failures.This review is based on “Information snowballing: information practices in the context of sustainable food practices” by Xiaotong Du and Kaitlin Light Costello, published in the Journal of Documentation.