Compass Group and its businesses around the globe are today marking the eighth annual Stop Food Waste Day, an International Day of Action in the fight against food waste. This global campaign aims to raise awareness of the environmental and social benefits of reducing food waste, and brings together clients, colleagues, suppliers and charity partners across Compass Group’s 35 countries.
With food waste contributing to around 8-10%* of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions each year, and with global food inflation and cost of living pressures, the need for action to reduce food waste has never been more important.
Started in 2017 by Compass Group, Stop Food Waste Day is now recognised globally in every corner of the world as a day to unite to educate, inspire, and ignite change. From consumer education and campaigns, menu planning, deploying food waste management technology and more, Compass Group’s frontline teams and chefs are using the Group’s scale and influence to drive change for good.
Preventing, recovering and recycling
Compass Group aims to stop food waste through preventing, recovering and recycling. Only when food waste is unavoidable, do teams turn to redistribution and recycling to ensure good food reaches people in need.
In 2023, Compass Group set a target to adopt food waste technology in 6,000 locations worldwide. We surpassed this target, implementing technology at almost 8,000 of our largest locations. Arming our chefs with digital tools to track and measure our food waste has helped us be well on our way to achieve our Planet Promise to halve our food waste footprint by 2030.
In Australia, Compass Group utilises the food waste reduction system, Leanpath, developed to reduce manual handling risks, improve efficiency to lower cost and to minimise impact on the environment.
The tracking scales generate automated reports to highlight trends and identify key areas to focus effort on, meaningfully reducing food waste on site. Web-based action plans allow for central review and reporting to set and track goals.
Since implementing in 2022, teams have seen a notable 13,000kg decrease in food waste. This equates to 84.59 metric tons of avoided CO2, 27,000 meals saved and 16,000 litres of gasoline saved through supply chain and waste disposal.
“A third of all food produced globally is wasted every year, but Compass Group continues to lead the way on this important topic. Eight years ago, we started Stop Food Waste Day as a movement to ignite change around food waste, which has since become a global phenomenon. That’s because, using our size, scale and influence, we see food waste as one of the areas where we can make the biggest difference. Our chefs are integral to our success, driving transformational change from the bottom up through our Global Culinary Forum webinars. By working closely with our procurement teams to dial up local and seasonal sourcing and innovative supply chain solutions, they’re the ones that are really delivering for our clients.”
“Both globally and across Australia, we provide great food and great service from the CBD to some of the country’s most remote and environmentally sensitive locations. Through our ‘WorldFirst’ program, we work in partnership with our Clients and our Supply Partners to invest in ethical and sustainable supply chains, new product innovations and enable ‘Purpose-led Procurement’ in creating real change in our industry. From our investments and culinary expertise in recipe and menu design, through to partnerships with organisations such as Sedex, MSC, RSPCA and many others, we are able to couple our ‘grown here and not flown here’ sourcing focus with our global experience in sustainability and food waste."
– ENDS –
For more information, please contact:
Media Contact
PJ Brooks, Compass Group Australia Communications Manager
E: [email protected]
Notes to Editors
* UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2021
About Compass Group Australia
Compass Group Australia is a leading food and support services organisation, supporting clients in Australia since 1969. The company engages more than 13,000 employees to operate in more than 700 locations, serving thousands of people every day through food and support services focused on health and wellbeing.
Compass Group’s operations are extensive across Australia, including both onshore and offshore facilities and they reflect a diverse client base encompassing schools and universities, venues and leisure facilities, the energy, resources and Defence sectors, hospitals and aged care facilities, airline lounges and feeding thousands of people at work.
Compass group proudly plays an important role in supporting and creating careers paths for disadvantaged Australians and sources 81% of food and beverages from local Australian growers and manufacturers.
About Stop Food Waste Day
Launched in 2017, Stop Food Waste Day is an International Day of Action in the fight against food waste. On 24 April 2024, Compass Group, along with its suppliers, clients, colleagues, and customers globally, will work together to raise awareness and inspire change around the critical issue of food waste.
Visit the Stop Food Waste Day website for more information: https://www.stopfoodwasteday.com
