By: Maggie Anderson, Intern
Corporate responsibility initiatives aimed at reducing food waste can have a significant positive impact on both the environment and public health. In 2019, a new food loss and waste initiative was introduced called 10x20x30. This initiative works with several of the largest food retailers and their food suppliers to reduce the rates of food loss and waste by half by 2030 worldwide. The retailers include, but not limited to: IKEA, Kroger, Sodexo, Tesco and Walmart. Given the global scale of the issue, it was evident that no single company could tackle this challenge alone. Denis Machuel, CEO of Sodexo and a member of Champions 12.3, emphasized this by stating, “the 10x20x30 is a call-to-action to build common processes to measure food loss and food waste, embrace transparency, take action along our value chain and drive joint accountability.” 10x20x30 is one way companies can fight food waste but there are still other opportunities for corporations to reduce excess.
We often see organizations commit to setting goals that do not need to be meant in decades. Pete Pearson of the World Wildlife Fund says“We’re getting way too comfortable with setting targets and goals that are decades away. These are things that we can accomplish within five-year time horizons, maybe even sooner…and all it takes is leadership and urgency.” ReFed, a national nonprofit which leverages a holistic view of the food system working to cut food loss and waste at a national and global level, wrote in one of its reports that a general timeline should be about 10 years. This allows a realistic timeline given for decision makers to consider the cost-benefits of solutions.
However, IKEA was able to reduce its food waste by 54 percent within 4 years. The key to IKEA’s success was its strategic partnership with AI firms. These collaborations enabled the company to implement advanced tracking systems that meticulously monitored waste data. Additionally, IKEA focused on educating its customers about waste reduction, creating a comprehensive approach that addressed the issue from multiple angles. Not only is this beneficial for the company, as IKEA was able to save $37 million, it also benefited the environmental aspect as more than 20 million meals and avoiding almost 40,000 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents were saved.
Although corporate partnerships both industry and supplier, and innovative technology such as AI-powered monitoring, consumers do have a role in this process as well. Businesses can expand their knowledge on food waste and loss with the consumers but also educate them about the concern and how it needs to be addressed. IKEA educates consumers by using a webpage on their site letting them know how to reduce food at home, promoting products. For example containers for leftovers and products made of recycled materials, such as the HÅLLBAR waste bin as it is also designed with a separate waste and recyclable, or even compost. IKEA has also announced it will begin phasing out plastic packaging by 2028. General Mills is another company that is working with their consumers to reduce the rates of food waste and loss. The partnered with Betty Crocker’s #TasteNotWaste challenge. This campaign helps families to have a better understanding on how to prepare, cook, store, and freeze foods so they can be enjoyed rather than wasted.
Source visuals from Unsplash.
Packaging plays a crucial role in reducing food waste, and companies can engage consumers in this effort through thoughtful design. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) has developed guidelines for best practices in packaging design to address this issue. While food packaging contributes only 3-3.5 percent to climate impact, optimizing it can still help reduce overall environmental effects.
Consumer preferences are a key consideration in packaging design. ReFED notes that packaging transparency can be a double-edged sword. While improved visibility allows consumers to assess freshness and use remaining contents efficiently, it may also lead to food waste if light exposure accelerates spoilage or reveals unappealing natural processes like separation in salad dressings.
It is important to companies to track metrics and to have transparency to ensure accountability, and to drive continuous improvement. By regularly measuring and reporting on waste reduction initiatives, companies can quantify progress, identify problem areas, set realistic goals, and continuously improve their strategies. Transparency in sharing both successes and challenges builds trust with stakeholders, encourages industry-wide improvements, and raises consumer awareness. Key metrics to track include total food waste, diversion rates from landfills, cost savings, and carbon footprint reduction. Through open communication via sustainability reports, social media updates, and industry collaborations, companies can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while fostering a collective approach to tackling food waste.
By implementing these corporate responsibility initiatives, businesses can make a substantial contribution to reducing food waste while promoting public health. The success of companies like IKEA, which halved its food waste production and saved over 20 million meals in just four years, demonstrates that significant progress is achievable with commitment and innovative approaches. As more businesses adopt these practices, we can expect to see broader positive impacts on both environmental sustainability and public health.
FoodRecovery.org partners with corporations committed to fighting hunger, reducing food waste, and advancing sustainability. Ready to make an impact? Let’s talk—email us at hello@foodrecovery.org to get started.