The Brundtland Report (UNCED, 1987, p. 1) established sustainable development as:
“…development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Climate change is now a core business issue. Here’s why…
It’s our future
Customers care
Investor interest
Competitive advantage
Regulation and legislation
Brand impact
Mitigation and adaptation
Cost and resource management
Global instability
Read: The Sustainable Development Goals
The SDGs are 17 goals which world leaders have signed up to.
These are part of Agenda 2030 – will last for 15 years from 2015-2030
The SDGs are based on the 5 ‘P’s
PEOPLE
PLANET
PROSPERITY
PEACE
PARTNERSHIP
What are the UN’s Global Goals?
In September 2015, 193 countries adopted the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs, otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a roadmap towards achieving a more inclusive, sustainable and prosperous world by 2030.
SDG 2 – End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture- is the goal specifically associated with achieving zero hunger and improving the global food system.
However, because both the issues and goals are interlinked – other relevant topics such as climate change (SDG 13) and ending food loss and waste (SDG 12.3) are covered in other goals. For the goals to be reached, everyone needs to play their part: governments, the private sector, civil society and the general public.
“By 2030, 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”
Champions 12.3 is a coalition connected to the SDG target 12.3. They have published some useful papers including The Business Case for Reducing Food Waste and Food Loss for restaurants, catering and hotels.
You may have heard the term ‘circular economy’ and wondered what it’s all about. This video provides some background and explanation.
Ireland has specific objectives with regard to food waste as outlined in the National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap 2023-2025.
See the key Priority Actions for the first Roadmap 2023-2025
Regulatory Establish a statutory basis for preparing, updating and review of the roadmap. Implement proposals from the European Commission.
Food Waste Measurement and Reporting Fulfil annual reporting obligations on food waste data reporting to EU. Publish national food waste statistics. Promote the use and integration of the EPA’s standard national food waste measurement protocol for use in key sectors.
Food Waste Charter Launch revised Food Waste Charter. Establish a Food Waste Charter Action Group with sub sectoral working groups. Review the effectiveness of the voluntary approach to food waste measurement and reporting and determine if there is a need to set mandatory requirements for measurement and reporting. Build the evidence base for food waste prevention actions in food sector businesses.
Food Donation – Redistribution Investigate the potential prohibition of the destruction of edible food in advance of its ‘use by’ date. Investigate the regulatory and legal barriers to ‘Good Samaritan’ acts of food donation. Support the surplus food redistribution sector.
Food Waste Segregation Introduce incentivised pricing for Commercial waste to improve waste segregation. Make organic waste bin provision mandatory as part of a waste collection service for all households including roll out the provision of kitchen food waste caddies.
Communications, Education and Awareness Support the implementation of the Roadmap with suitable communications including activities around National Stop Food Waste Day on 1st March and National Food Waste Recycling Week. Support for education and training for organisations to prevent and measure food waste.
Research and Innovation Fund research, piloting and demonstration on food waste topics. Collate existing food waste prevention work undertaken. Establish a Register of Priority Research and Innovation Topics on Food Loss and Food Waste.
Green Public Procurement Update Green Public Procurement Policy that includes examining how food waste prevention can be further strengthened in the government and public sector.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Review and Knowledge Sharing
Establish Food Waste Prevention Task Force and sub-sectoral groups. Coordinate Forum on Food Waste. Contribute to the EU Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste and associated subgroups. Provide annual updates on food waste. Undertake annual review of Food Waste Prevention Roadmap and set targets.
Reflection Which of the Key Priority Actions of the National Food Waste Prevention Roadmap 2023-2025 would be relevant to a food service business in Ireland? Please write down your answer on a piece of paper. There’s no need to show this to anyone – it’s just for your own consideration.
For inspiration, here is an example of one Cork based food company who made changes in their business to align with their ethos of sustainability. Read the full case study to learn about the motivation and impact measurement of C.U.S.P. (Cork Urban Soil Project).
The All-Ireland Pollinator Plan(opens in a new tab) is a framework bringing together different sectors across the island of Ireland to create a landscape where pollinators can survive and thrive.
Project Drawdown(opens in a new tab) is a nonprofit organisation that seeks to help the world reach “drawdown”—the future point in time when levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere stop climbing and start to steadily decline.
Champions 12.3(opens in a new tab) is an international coalition dedicated to inspiring ambition, mobilising action, and accelerating progress toward achieving SDG Target 12.3 by 2030.
