Davos: Tesco boss leads global effort to reduce food waste
Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis is leading a global effort to “inspire ambition and mobilise action” to reduce food waste and loss.
Dubbed ‘Champions 12.3’, Lewis will chair the coalition of 30 CEOs as well as government ministers and other executives from research, farmer and civil groups with the goal of halving per capita food waste by 2030 (target 12.3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals).
Nestlé chief executive Paul Bulcke and Unilever boss Paul Polman are also among the business leaders to have pledged their support at the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, today (21 January).
Lewis said that “reducing food loss and waste is a significant global challenge and it’s very important that business plays its part… This is an opportunity for businesses to work together and make a real difference to target 12.3.”
The strategy to do so was laid out at the conference, with Lewis et al vowing to lead by example and motivate others on how to reduce food waste, as well as communicating the importance of food loss and waste reduction.
They will also look to showcase successful waste reduction strategies as well as advocate for more innovation, greater investment, better information, and increased capacity to reduce food loss and waste.
According to Wrap, the Waste and Resources Action Programme, the UK wastes an estimated 15 million tonnes of food a year.