The CGF represents more than 400 global consumer goods manufacturers and retailers, including industry giants like Nestlé, Unilever, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. It says its latest commitment complements members’ earlier pledges to phase out HFC refrigerants by 2015 and to achieve zero net deforestation by 2020.
According to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as much as a third of all food produced globally is wasted or lost along the supply chain.
“It is a tragedy that up to two billion tonnes of food produced around the world is lost or wasted never making it onto a plate,” said Unilever CEO Paul Polman. “At a time of growing food insecurity and climate change, we can’t afford to let this continue.”
The CGF said it also recognised the benefit for its members in reducing food waste, considering that “unchecked climate change will have a huge impact on the consumer goods sector, its customers and employees”. Wasted food is thought to add about 3.3bn tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere each year, and to have a value of about $750bn.
Nestlé CEO Paul Bulcke added: “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 said it had developed a toolkit to help members monitor and implement their commitment, available online here.