With around one third of food produced globally wasted or lost before it even reaches the consumer, many agree that reducing waste and preventable losses throughout the supply chain is of great importance for the food and nutrition industry.
Now, the world’s biggest food manufacturer has pledged to increase efforts to curb such losses – both within its own company and within the wider industry.
“We have been reducing food loss and waste in our operations across the world for decades. We are now formally strengthening this commitment, going beyond our own operations to work together with all stakeholders for greater impact” said Pascal Gréverath, head of environmental sustainability at Nestlé.
At the 2015 Save Food event, taking place today at Nestlé's headquarters in Vevey, the firm launched plans to drive reductions in food loss and waste through measures including responsible sourcing and zero waste for disposal.
The firm, which has worked closely with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), pledged to reduce food loss and waste as part of the Save Food initiative – adding that it is committed to achieving zero waste for disposal (meaning that no waste will go to landfill or be incinerated without energy being recovered from the process) in all of its sites worldwide by 2020.
Nestlé also plans to educate consumers and employees on reducing food waste and engage with key stakeholders – such as regulators and scientists - to develop and implement solutions to the problem.