Reporting Framework

The reporting framework of the Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge aims to assess progress on the implementation of commitments made as part of the initiative. It was developed by independent consultants of Walk the Talk, under the supervision and guidance of the Pledge Coordinator, the Shamba Centre for Food & Climate.

As of the beginning of 2025, and since the initiative’s launch in 2021, 68 companies have successfully submitted a pledge towards aligning their investment to address UN SDG Goal 2: Zero Hunger. In their submission, these companies committed to “being able to report on resources allocation, progress, impact and challenges in the context of the agreed collaboration.”

Download the PDF of the Reporting Framework

Download the PDF of the Impact Reporting Framework

Objective

The reporting framework is a first step in accountability and long-term impact for all participants in the Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge (“the Pledge”). It provides a guideline and methodology on how to verify if companies are honouring their pledges through an evidenced investment. It serves as a high-level instrument which can be used to hold companies to account, and to establish a proof of concept, so that more companies join the initiative.

The reporting framework contributes to the biennial reporting exercise, which aims to publish a report with aggregated data on all pledges of over USD 1 million. For the 2025 reporting report, the ambition is to verify the following information:

1. Establish that the pledged investment took place 

2. Confirm the country/region in which it was spent 

3. Confirm the amount that was spent

This framework is also designed to guide companies in reporting on an impact indicator as part of their commitment to the Zero Hunger Pledge. It serves two key purposes:

1. Reveal trends and insights – by surfacing how companies measure progress across the ten Ceres2030 areas of intervention:
2. Foster a community of practice – allowing companies to see how peers measure the outcomes of private-sector investments

Timeline

Data Collection & Analysis

This section concerns all companies whose pledge totalled at least USD 1 million.

Baseline Data

• Type of Financial Commitment

• Ceres2030 Area of Investment

• Type of Investment 

• Country

• Implementing Organisation(s) and/or  Partner(s)

• Project Name

• Financial Contribution 

If some information was missing in the original JotForm submission, the reporting exercise provides an opportunity to update and fill in those gaps.

Reporting Data

The following data will be collected from organisations. Given the burden of reporting, the reporting framework enables flexibility on how the data is compiled as well as means of verification of the information reported.

In the submission form (Jotform), pledging companies provide information as listed in the table below. The same data points are also included in the reporting process and will be compared to information provided at the time of the submission to correct for any changes.

Impact Indicator

Given the diverse investment contexts, companies may rely on data from implementing partners, drawing from a mix of quantitative and qualitative evidence. As much as possible, indicators should be relevant and feasible and have the following qualitative attributes:

• Measurable – using reliable data sources
• Specific – clearly linked to the intervention's intended change
• Time-bound – reported against a defined time frame
• Trackable – feasible to monitor regularly over time
• Practical – realistic to collect, especially in partnership with local actors

For this reporting exercise, in the Jotform reporting form, companies will be asked to choose at least one indicator corresponding to the Ceres2030 area of their commitment: On the Farm, Empower the Excluded, or On the Move.

The table of indicators provided below is illustrative. Companies are encouraged to use it as a reference but may also report custom indicators that better reflect their investment. We will require all reporting companies to select at least one indicator from the reference list (or add in a custom indicator) but will not be collecting (nor reporting) any data this year nor expect companies to measure this indicator, as 2025 will provide the baseline year. We do not expect a company to provide an indicator for each programme at this stage. 

Companies may not be able to isolate their contribution to a specific outcome. In such cases, indicators may reflect contribution or alignment rather than direct attribution. Companies are encouraged to share any supporting documentation outlining the methodology used to collect these indicators, if such a methodology has been developed.

Data Assessment & Analysis

Through the data collected, the report will analyse trends such as outlined below.

What types of interventions have taken place?

1. Country distribution (high priority countries vs medium and low) of interventions;

2. Industry/Sector distribution of companies pledging;

3. Pledge progress overall (% spent vs overall commitment and yearly spending (2023, 20224); and

4. Intentionality and engagement (i.e., assessment of the mention(s) by each company of their commitment in their public communications, review of the type and number of communications that involve the mention of the commitment, etc.).

How are pledges being implemented?

5. Alignment with Ceres2030 investment areas. This information was already collected via the submission. Wherever possible, the pledge progress will be analysed per investment area.

What are some best practices to assess the effectiveness of the pledge implementation?

6. Best/Median/Learner practice. The report will identify additional information that is reported by the Reporting Entities pertaining to the below:

7. Quantitative and qualitative data on progress achieved such as:

   • Analysis of the results against the targets / milestones set by the company in relation to their pledge;

   • Explanation of any significant deviations from the expected outcomes;

   • Description of challenges encountered (for companies unable to confirm implementation of their pledge due to conflict, difficulty accessing finance, etc.);

   • Indicators and metrics used to measure progress; and

   • Explanation from the implementing organisation(s) and/or partner(s) of any data collection challenges faced and how they were addressed.

8. Best Practices and Innovation / Challenges and lessons learned.

9. Stakeholder engagement (e.g., are the implementing organisation(s) and/or partner(s) aware that the intervention falls within the scope of the Zero Hunger Private Sector Pledge commitment?).