FDBusiness.com

Nestlé and other members of the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) have announced a resolution to halve food waste across their operations by 2025 versus a 2016 baseline and support UN goals on the issue. The CGF brings together consumer goods manufacturers and retailers to pursue business practices for efficiency and positive change, and its 400 retail and manufacturing members announced the ‘Food Waste Resolution’ at the CGF Global Summit in New York to show strong leadership in reducing food waste.

30 per cent of food produced (1.3bn tonnes) is wasted each year, according to the CGF, and this waste generates 3.3 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) each year. The water footprint of food waste is three times the volume of Lake Geneva, and the value of food wasted is SFr690 billion (US$750 billion).

In addition to committing to halve food waste across their operations, CGF members will also contribute to meeting the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) where they relate to food waste. Member states are expected to adopt the SDGs in September, and they include provisions to halve per capita consumer food waste, reduce food losses along production and supply chains and maximise the value of remaining waste.

Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke, who is Co-Chair of The Consumer Goods Forum, says: “The resolution on food waste the CGF Board of Directors has adopted demonstrates our willingness to engage and take action in an area where a collective industry effort can make a difference.”

The CGF resolution complements Nestlé’s own recently announced commitment to reduce food loss and waste as part of its broader Creating Shared Value commitment to improve the resource efficiency of its operations.

In New York the CGF also announced the launch of a toolkit and digital platform that provides real-life examples of what its members have achieved in implementing health and wellness resolutions and commitments, and offers ideas for companies looking to take the next step.