Student thesis topic: Understanding and communicating product footprint

Lantmännen Unibake
ansök senaste 2025-10-13

Have an appetite for more?
Join a leading global bakery group powered by ambitious people that are truly passionate about delivering the best in everything they do.

With business in mind and people at heart we always work together to influence our road ahead. We want you to be part of our growth journey and of a great, global family.

We are offering an exciting opportunity for students to conduct their thesis research with us. As a thesis candidate, you will have the chance to dive into a captivating topic within Sustainability under the guidance of subject matter experts.


Why write your thesis with Unibake?
With 6000 colleagues and more than 30 large-scale bakeries, operations in 20+ countries, and sales in 60+ countries around the globe, you will be part of a great company that is highly market-focused and a European leader within bake-off and fresh bakery products to both retail and food service channels.

We focus on high-quality and fast delivery and take pride in being a preferred partner for some of the world’s largest food providers and quick-service restaurants. Combatting climate change is a key part of our business strategy and we recently committed to the Science Based Targets initiative.

In today’s sustainability-driven business landscape, companies are increasingly expected to measure and disclose the environmental impact of their products. A product carbon footprint quantifies the greenhouse gas emissions and other environmental impacts associated with a product throughout its lifecycle from raw material extraction to disposal. For Unibake, this is not only a matter of compliance but also a strategic opportunity to build trust, support key accounts, and differentiate in the market.

This assignment is designed to help students explore the concept of product carbon footprint, understand its strategic importance, and evaluate how Unibake approaches this challenge using recognized methodologies and tools.

What you should investigate

  • What constitutes a product footprint, and how is it defined across environmental assessment frameworks?
  • Why is quantifying a product footprint considered essential for corporate sustainability strategies and stakeholder engagement?
  • What are the strategic advantages and potential risks associated with publicly communicating product footprint data?
  • What are the main methodological approaches to product carbon footprint—such as PEF (Product Environmental Footprint), EPD (Environmental Product Declaration), and ISO 14040/44/67—and how do they differ in scope, application, and credibility?
  • Are there identifiable geographical, industry-specific, or institutional preferences for particular product footprint methodologies?
  • What positions do the food industry in general express regarding product carbon footprint their public communications, and how do these compare to the company’s own approach?

What you need to have

  • You're about to write your thesis for your bachelor's or master's degree.
  • Basic understanding of sustainability and environmental impact assessment, especially Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) principles (advantage, but not required if the student is familiarity with international standards such as ISO 14040/44/67, PEF (Product Environmental Footprint), and EPD (Environmental Product Declaration).
  • Analytical skills to compare methodologies and assess strategic fit.
  • Research skills to gather and synthesize public communication from customers and competitors.
  • Communication skills to present findings in a clear, concise, and visually engaging format (e.g., PowerPoint).
  • Critical thinking to evaluate the implications of different PCF (product carbon footprint) approaches and relevance for different purposes.

What we offer to you

  • Have the chance to solve a business case and get exposure to the FMCG industry practices within food production.
  • Mentorship and guidance from subject matter experts within the Sustainability team.
  • Access to resources and data necessary for your research.
  • Flexible working arrangements to accommodate your academic schedule.
  • Opportunity to gain valuable hands-on experience and build your professional network.

Sounds interesting?

We will screen applications on an ongoing, so please don’t hesitate to send your application by submitting your CV and a short video to why are you interested within the topic and how it matches your educational background.

Ansök

Ieva Damberga
+4524494478
ieva.damberga@lantmannen.com