• Almond flour production is highly water-intensive, requiring approximately 3.2 gallons of water per almond, with California's drought-prone region supplying ~80% of global almonds, necessitating stringent water stewardship practices for compliance.

• Eutrophication and pollinator health are significant environmental concerns, with around 80% of nutrient pollution linked to cultivation practices; implementing integrated pest management (IPM) and protective measures for pollinators is critical for compliance.

• Social compliance frameworks like Rainforest Alliance certification and amfori BSCI audits are essential for ensuring worker rights and safety; buyers should mandate these certifications and monitor compliance metrics regularly.

• To mitigate risks, brands should diversify sourcing into locally produced gluten-free alternatives and enforce rigorous supplier verification processes, including FSMA compliance and social audits, to enhance overall supply chain resilience.

Environmental & Social Compliance

Product: Almond Flour
Section: Regulatory & Compliance
Subsection: Environmental & Social Compliance

Almond Flour Environmental & Social Compliance: Risks, Benchmarks, and Practical Pathways for Improvement

Executive summary

Almond flour sits at the intersection of high consumer demand for gluten-free, plant-based ingredients and significant environmental and social risks concentrated in its upstream supply chain. The strongest, most recent evidence indicates: (1) high freshwater intensity at the production stage, with California’s drought-prone almond belt supplying ~80% of global almonds and using approximately 3.2 gallons of water per almond; (2) pollinator exposure concerns linked to agrochemical regimes in large-scale orchards; (3) material eutrophication potential and other impacts largely occurring during cultivation; but also (4) meaningful potential to mitigate impacts via precision agriculture, regenerative practices, and by-product circularity. On social compliance, credible frameworks exist—Rainforest Alliance certification requirements, FSMA supplier verification obligations, and established social audit protocols (e.g., amfori BSCI, SLCP)—yet sector-level gaps persist (e.g., limited leading practices on social inclusion documented for a major handler). In my assessment, almond flour can align with robust environmental and social compliance, but only when buyers and producers jointly enforce water stewardship, pollinator-safe IPM, transparent worker protections, and verifiable supplier programs as non-negotiables, while accelerating circularity of co-products and, where feasible, diversifying with locally sourced alternative flours. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024; World Benchmarking Alliance, n.d.; Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.; Ollani et al., 2024; Almond Board of California, 2017; amfori BSCI, n.d.; GSCS International – SLCP, n.d.; Grist, n.d.)

1) Context and scope

Almond flour is milled from almonds—a seed of the fruit of the almond tree—that thrives in Mediterranean climates. After ripening and hull split, nuts are harvested and processed; almond flour retains the almond’s embodied agricultural footprint with minimal conversion losses. California’s Central Valley has become the epicenter of global almond production, now accounting for roughly 80% of the world’s supply, with orchard acreage growing from 760,000 to over 1.3 million acres between 2011 and 2022—a rapid expansion in a water-stressed region. These structural facts set the baseline compliance challenge for almond flour purchasers, brands, and processors. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024)

2) Environmental profile and compliance priorities

2.1 Freshwater use and regional stress

• Water intensity: The most recent programmatic source states it takes about 3.2 gallons of water to produce a single almond. For almond flour—essentially ground almonds—this implies a high cumulative freshwater footprint that directly scales with the mass of almonds used. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024)
• Global LCA context: Meta-analyses summarized in a Nordic/Baltic scoping review estimate “nuts” at an average 4,134 L freshwater per kg retail weight, with environmental burdens concentrated in cultivation. Note that cross-study variability is high, but the consensus pattern is that most impacts occur in-field rather than in processing or distribution. (Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)
• Regional exposure: Concentration of orchard expansion in drought-prone California magnifies the local significance of any freshwater footprint, increasing the compliance salience of water stewardship, groundwater protection, and irrigation efficiency in almond flour supply chains. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024)

2.2 Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and land-use dynamics

• Life-cycle distribution: For tree nuts, environmental impacts are largely during production. However, tree crops also sequester carbon, which can yield a net negative land-use change contribution to GHGs relative to groundnuts in some LCAs—an important nuance when evaluating total climate impact over orchard lifetimes. (Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)
• Benchmarking across food groups: The scoping review emphasizes that differences between food groups overshadow within-group production practices in many metrics; plant foods generally have much lower climate impacts than ruminant meats per unit weight. Almond flour, like other plant products, benefits from that broad contrast even if it is water-intensive among plant options. (Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)

2.3 Nutrient pollution, eutrophication, and agrochemical risk

• Eutrophication and acidification: For nuts, eutrophication impacts are heavily tied to cultivation (around 80%), stressing the significance of nutrient management, buffer zones, and runoff prevention programs for compliance. (Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)
• Pollinators: Almonds depend on pollinators; concerns about bee colony health are linked to pesticide regimes and general agrochemical reliance. Compliance programs should include integrated pest management (IPM), pesticide hazard substitution, and pollinator protection protocols (timing of sprays, non-bloom treatments, habitat). (Rainforest Alliance, 2024)

2.4 Circularity and by-product reuse

Even though almond flour uses the kernel, orchard systems generate substantial by-products (hulls, shells, skins) that can be valorized for feed, energy, biochar, and bioactive extracts. A 2024 review catalogues innovations in reuse of almond and hazelnut by-products, highlighting a tangible pathway to reduce waste and enhance the circularity performance of almond supply chains tied to flour production. (Ollani et al., 2024)

2.5 Comparative perspective within plant-based staples

From a procurement standpoint, some gluten-free alternatives (e.g., oat or millet flour) may be locally produced in some regions, reducing transport and, potentially, freshwater burdens. Contextual LCA data show cereals like wheat/rye and maize have lower freshwater intensities than rice (which is particularly water- and methane-intensive as paddy). This is not a direct apples-to-apples comparison with almond flour, but it informs portfolio-level choices to diversify and reduce resource stress. (Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.; Grist, n.d.)

Table 1. Selected life-cycle averages (global) for context

Source: Aggregated from a scoping review of meta-analyses and LCA databases; values are global averages across supply chains and vary by practice and region. (Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)

Note: For almonds specifically, the 3.2 gallons-per-almond statistic underscores high freshwater intensity in a water-stressed region; the “nuts” category aggregates multiple species, and values should be interpreted with caution. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024; Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)

3) Social compliance profile: labor, safety, and governance

3.1 Certification requirements for human rights

Rainforest Alliance certification for almond growers includes completing risk assessments for health and safety, instituting systems to identify and address forced labor and discrimination, and establishing grievance mechanisms (e.g., complaint hotlines). These form the backbone of credible HR policies and worker-rights protections for orchard labor that ultimately supports almond flour supply chains. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024)

3.2 Corporate practices and gaps

The World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) notes for one of the largest almond handlers (Blue Diamond Growers) that the company discloses trade association memberships and has processes for prioritizing sustainability impacts, including participation in the California Almond Stewardship Platform (CASP) to promote best practices for soil health and agrobiodiversity. However, WBA identified “no leading practices” in the social inclusion and community impact area for the company—suggesting a sectoral opportunity to strengthen transparent, independently verified social performance. (World Benchmarking Alliance, n.d.)

3.3 Social auditing and harmonized assessments

Established programs provide standardized tools to verify labor rights, health and safety, and grievance systems:

• amfori BSCI social audits, grounded in ILO conventions and UN Guiding Principles, offer harmonized social assessments across facilities and regions. (amfori BSCI, n.d.)
• The Social & Labor Convergence Program (SLCP) provides a unified assessment framework that reduces “audit fatigue,” enhances data comparability, and focuses resources on improvements—useful for processors handling almond flour. (GSCS International – SLCP, n.d.)

3.4 Grievance mechanisms and remedy

Beyond audits, effective compliance requires accessible grievance hotlines, documented non-retaliation policies, and timely remediation protocol—all elements emphasized within Rainforest Alliance certification and modern social compliance practice. Buyers should require metrics (e.g., number of grievances, resolution times) as part of quarterly or annual performance reviews. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024)

4) Food safety and supplier verification for almond flour

Under the U.S. FSMA Preventive Controls rule, facilities must operate supplier verification programs whenever they rely on suppliers to control hazards. In practice, an almond flour processor that depends on upstream processors/growers for hazard control (e.g., pathogens, aflatoxins) must conduct hazard analyses and implement documented supplier approval, verification activities (audits, testing, records review), and corrective actions. The Almond Board of California outlines these obligations and clarifies that downstream customers may require verification of custom processors—implying that almond flour suppliers should anticipate customer-led audits and documentation requests. (Almond Board of California, 2017)

5) Credible frameworks and tools relevant to almond flour

• Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard: Guides regenerative practices, water management, waste treatment, and agrochemical use; includes explicit human rights controls. Useful where growers seek certification and where buyers want verifiable ESG claims. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024)
• California Almond Stewardship Platform (CASP): A best-practice resource for soil health, water, biodiversity, and integrated farm management; cited as benchmarked to internationally recognized standards. Buyers can use CASP participation as a due diligence criterion for suppliers serving almond flour inputs. (World Benchmarking Alliance, n.d.)
• Social audit standards (amfori BSCI; SLCP): Provide harmonized assessments for labor conditions in farms and processing sites contributing to almond flour production and packing. (amfori BSCI, n.d.; GSCS International – SLCP, n.d.)
• FSMA Preventive Controls Supplier Verification: For U.S. market access and global customers’ expectations, a robust supplier program is non-negotiable. (Almond Board of California, 2017)

Table 2. Frameworks, compliance focus, and applicability to almond flour

(Rainforest Alliance, 2024; World Benchmarking Alliance, n.d.; amfori BSCI, n.d.; GSCS International – SLCP, n.d.; Almond Board of California, 2017)

6) Practical roadmap for almond flour environmental and social compliance

6.1 For almond flour buyers (brands, retailers, foodservice)

• Source selection
  • Prioritize almonds from Rainforest Alliance–certified orchards and/or growers engaged with CASP, with documented water stewardship plans (e.g., irrigation efficiency, groundwater protection), IPM programs, and pollinator-safe protocols. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024; World Benchmarking Alliance, n.d.)
• Contractual requirements
  • Mandate FSMA-compliant supplier verification documentation for hazards controlled upstream; require audit rights and change-notification clauses. (Almond Board of California, 2017)
  • Require third-party social assessments (amfori BSCI or SLCP-based) for farms and processors in scope, with corrective action plans and closure evidence. (amfori BSCI, n.d.; GSCS International – SLCP, n.d.)
• KPI monitoring
  • Water intensity (per kg almond), nitrogen application rates, pesticide hazard profile and timing, bee mortality/incident logs, worker grievance statistics and resolution times, overtime compliance, and injury rates. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024; Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)
• Portfolio risk management
  • Where feasible, diversify into locally sourced gluten-free alternatives (e.g., oat, millet) to reduce exposure to water-stressed supply chains—while recognizing intended functional use. (Grist, n.d.; Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)

6.2 For almond growers, handlers, and flour processors

• Water and nutrients
  • Implement precision irrigation and fertigation; monitor evapotranspiration; adopt soil moisture sensing; maintain buffer zones; and track nutrient budgets to minimize eutrophication potential. (Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.)
• Pollinator protection
  • Codify IPM with hazard substitution, ban or restrict high-risk chemistries during bloom, and incorporate floral resource and habitat support. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024)
• Human rights and safety
  • Conduct formal risk assessments; establish grievance hotlines; train supervisors; document corrective actions; reference SLCP/BSCI checklists to align practices. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024; amfori BSCI, n.d.; GSCS International – SLCP, n.d.)
• Food safety system maturity
  • Map hazards to control points; when relying on suppliers, maintain robust approval and verification programs, including audit schedules and COAs, per FSMA. (Almond Board of California, 2017)
• Circularity
  • Develop partnerships to valorize hulls, shells, and skins (e.g., feed, energy, materials) as documented in recent reviews. (Ollani et al., 2024)

Table 3. Buyer due-diligence checklist for almond flour sourcing

(Rainforest Alliance, 2024; Almond Board of California, 2017; amfori BSCI, n.d.; GSCS International – SLCP, n.d.; Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.; Ollani et al., 2024)

7) Opinion and conclusion

On balance, I find that almond flour’s environmental and social compliance hinges on disciplined control of upstream risks: water stewardship in drought-impacted California orchards; pollinator-safe IPM and agrochemical governance; nutrient management to reduce eutrophication; and verifiable worker protections and grievance mechanisms. Credible, current sources—Rainforest Alliance’s 2024 guidance; WBA’s benchmarking of a major industry actor; and recent LCA syntheses—converge on the same point: most impacts occur in-field, and real-world compliance must therefore focus there. Where producers adopt precision agriculture and pursue certification-aligned practices, and where buyers enforce rigorous supplier verification (FSMA), social audits, and performance KPIs, almond flour can credibly meet high compliance bars. However, sectoral gaps in leading social inclusion practices and persistent regional water stress mean buyers should also manage portfolio risk by diversifying into locally produced, lower-freshwater alternatives when functionally suitable. In short: demand stringent, verifiable practices from almond flour suppliers; support growers on regenerative and pollinator-safe transitions; valorize by-products; and deploy procurement diversification as a complementary risk control. (Rainforest Alliance, 2024; World Benchmarking Alliance, n.d.; Environmental sustainability scoping review, n.d.; Ollani et al., 2024; Almond Board of California, 2017; amfori BSCI, n.d.; GSCS International – SLCP, n.d.; Grist, n.d.)

References

• Almond Board of California. (2017, June). FSMA preventive controls: Supplier verification for the almond industry (fact sheet). Almond Board of California. https://www.almonds.com/sites/default/files/supplier-verification.pdf

• amfori BSCI. (n.d.). amfori BSCI | Social audit. Bureau Veritas CPS. https://www.cps.bureauveritas.com/needs/amfori-bsci-social-audit

• Environmental sustainability of food production and consumption in the Nordic and Baltic region – a scoping review for Nordic Nutrition Recommendations 2023. (n.d.). National Library of Medicine (PMC). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11549683/

• Grist. (n.d.). Are coconut products bad for the environment? Grist. https://grist.org/food/are-coconut-products-bad-for-the-environment/

• GSCS International. (n.d.). SLCP audit checklist: A guide to ethical supply chain management. GSCS International Ltd. https://gscsintl.org/service/social-labor-convergence-program-slcp

• Ollani, S., Peano, C., & Sottile, F. (2024, March 21). Recent innovations on the reuse of almond and hazelnut by-products: A review. Sustainability, 16(6), 2577. MDPI. https://www.wisdomlib.org/uploads/journals/mdpi-sust/2024-volume-16-issue-6--2071-1050-16-6-2577-.pdf

• Rainforest Alliance. (2024, December 12). Rainforest Alliance certified almonds. Rainforest Alliance. https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/insights/certified-almonds/

• World Benchmarking Alliance. (n.d.). Nature Benchmark: Blue Diamond Growers. World Benchmarking Alliance. https://www.worldbenchmarkingalliance.org/publication/nature/companies/blue-diamond-growers-4/

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main environmental compliance risks associated with almond flour production?

Almond flour production faces significant environmental risks, particularly high freshwater use, with approximately 3.2 gallons of water required to produce a single almond. Additionally, eutrophication and agrochemical exposure pose risks during cultivation, necessitating effective nutrient management and integrated pest management (IPM) practices.

How does almond flour compare to other gluten-free alternatives in terms of environmental impact?

While almond flour is a popular gluten-free option, it has a higher freshwater intensity compared to alternatives like oat or millet flour. For instance, almond production requires about 4,134 liters of freshwater per kilogram, whereas wheat and rye require only 648 liters, making some alternatives more sustainable in water-stressed regions.

What certifications should almond flour suppliers have to ensure social compliance?

Suppliers should ideally hold Rainforest Alliance certification, which includes risk assessments for health and safety, and compliance with human rights standards. Additionally, social audits based on amfori BSCI or SLCP frameworks can help verify labor rights and working conditions in almond flour supply chains.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for monitoring almond flour suppliers' environmental compliance?

Key KPIs include water intensity per kilogram of almonds, nitrogen application rates, pesticide hazard profiles, and worker grievance statistics. Monitoring these metrics can help ensure compliance with environmental and social standards throughout the supply chain.

How can almond flour producers mitigate their environmental impact?

Producers can adopt precision agriculture techniques, improve irrigation efficiency, and implement regenerative practices to reduce their environmental footprint. Additionally, valorizing by-products like hulls and shells can enhance circularity and minimize waste in the almond supply chain.

What role does water stewardship play in almond flour production?

Water stewardship is critical in almond flour production, especially given that California, which supplies around 80% of the world's almonds, is a drought-prone region. Effective water management practices are essential to mitigate the high freshwater footprint associated with almond cultivation.

What are the implications of pollinator health for almond flour production?

Pollinator health is vital for almond production, as almonds rely on bees for pollination. Compliance programs should include measures to protect pollinators, such as implementing IPM strategies and timing pesticide applications to minimize harm during bloom periods.