Dairy Firms Ranked on Progress in Methane Reduction
The latest industry rankings highlight how top dairy brands are meeting global targets for reducing livestock methane emissions.
Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Organic Food
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Bel Group has taken the lead in the latest Methane Action Tracker rankings, edging out Danone with a score of 80% for its methane reduction efforts. The report highlights progress across major dairy companies regarding emissions disclosure and planning.
Why it matters
Methane is a potent greenhouse gas, and these industry-wide rankings track how major dairy companies manage their environmental footprint through target setting and action plans. Consumers can use this data to understand how the producers of their favorite dairy products are addressing their livestock-related emissions.
The Methane Action Tracker assessed 23 companies based on their disclosure, target setting, and action plans, finding an average score of 61.4% among Dairy and Methane Action Alliance members compared to 22.3% for non-members.
The players
Bel Group
A French-based food company that leads the current methane action rankings.
Danone
A multinational dairy corporation that holds a 79.5% score in the tracker.
Nestlé
A global food and beverage company that now ranks ninth in methane action efforts.
Tesco
A major retailer that shares the top spot for methane action among retail companies.
Lidl
A retail chain that is tied for the top ranking in the Methane Action Tracker.
The details
The Methane Action Tracker evaluates firms on their transparency and progress toward the Global Methane Pledge, which aims for a 30% reduction in methane emissions against 2020 levels. Companies are measured on their specific livestock methane action plans, a standard currently met by 14 of the 23 assessed entities. Firms like Danone have demonstrated these improvements, with a reported 29.8% reduction in emissions since 2020.
Timeline
2020 served as the baseline year for Global Methane Pledge reduction targets.
October 2025 marked the exit of Nestlé from the Dairy and Methane Action Alliance.
May 2026 saw the average score for DMAA members at 45.9%.
October 27, 2026, was the release date for the latest Methane Action Tracker report.
Health Landscape
These company rankings track the industry's response to the Global Methane Pledge, which serves as a central benchmark for reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions. The data highlights a growing divide between alliance members and non-members in setting standardized methane reduction targets.
While these rankings focus on industrial practices, they help clarify which major food producers are prioritizing long-term environmental sustainability. You can consider these transparency scores when making purchasing decisions or researching the corporate social responsibility of brands you buy.
The takeaway
The latest tracker findings highlight that 14 of 23 assessed companies now have active plans to reduce livestock methane. You can keep this progress in mind when reading sustainability labels on food packaging and looking for companies that publicly report their emissions metrics.
Further reading
For more on the environmental practices of the food industry, see our guide on Organic Food.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dairyreporter.
Live Poll
Should large food corporations be held publicly accountable for methane emissions in their supply chains?
