Champions 12.3, a global coalition of business and government leaders that aims to halve global food waste by 2030, is to convene an Assembly to explore ways in which food loss prevention measures can be accelerated.
The Assembly, which will commence in October 2021, will address how a 'Target-Measure-Act' approach can be implemented to reduce food waste; examine ways in which capacity for food loss and waste reduction can be implemented; and share insight from participants in the Champions 12.3 initiative about successful approaches, roadmaps, strategies, and tactics.
'Nothing Short Of A Travesty'
Speaking in advance of the Assembly, Hans Hoogeveen, co-chair of Champions 12.3 and independent chairperson of the council at the FAO, said, “It’s nothing short of a travesty that more than a billion tonnes of food goes to waste every year.
"The Champions 12.3 Assembly will focus on converting ambition to reduce food loss and waste into tangible actions at the country level during this critical decade. This is a call for countries and companies to join us – the world needs your involvement to leave nobody behind.”
At a virtual event held this week, Champions 12.3 provided an update on the 10x20x30 initiative, which was launched in 2019. 10x20x30 involves 10 of the world’s biggest food retailers, wherein each engages at least 20 of its suppliers in a 'whole supply chain' approach to halving food loss and waste by 2030.
It found that those participating have completed baseline measurements of their operations' food loss and waste, and are now preparing to tackle their identified food waste hotspots.
Food Loss Progress Report
The World Resource Institute's SDG Target 12.3 on Food Loss and Waste: 2021 Progress Report, which was published yesterday, has suggested that the global amount of food that is lost or wasted 'from farm to fork' is higher than previously calculated.
“We’re at an important potential tipping point. Nations and companies must step forward with bold action to capture the social, economic and environmental benefits of halving food loss and waste,” said Sunny Verghese, co-chair of Champions 12.3 and co-founder and group CEO, Olam International Limited. “The moment is there for us to seize.”
Champions 12.3 takes its name from Target 12.3 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, which calls on the world to “halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses” by 2030.
© 2021 European Supermarket Magazine. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. For more A-Brands news, click here. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
