Leveraging Reporting Policies to Reduce Food Waste

Food loss and waste and food insecurity are parallel issues emerging as some of the greatest food system challenges today. While an estimated one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted, more than 735 million people around the world are hungry and 11 percent are severely food insecure.

Scaling food donation, which reduces waste and alleviates food insecurity, requires aligned incentives and sensible policy to motivate individuals and companies to donate rather than discard surplus food. Reporting interventions that require the measurement of food loss and waste streams, such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reporting; Scope 3 emissions reporting; and food waste reporting are key solutions. They can incentivize entities to target and measure their waste streams and help them identify areas where they could reduce the costs of food waste through food donation. Leveraging such laws can be a powerful tool to influence business behavior and promote more sustainable food systems.

This dialogue will reveal the potential for well-designed, implemented, and enforced food waste and emissions reporting polices to encourage greater food donation and minimize food loss and waste and its negative impacts on food insecurity, environmental damage, and climate change. This meeting offers a forum for leading stakeholders to discuss some of the best practices, challenges, and considerations of emissions, environmental, and food waste reporting.

OPENING:

• Emily M. Broad Leib, Clinical Professor of Law and Director, Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic

MODERATOR:

• Ambassador Ertharin Cousin, Founder and CEO, Food Systems for the Future; Managing Director, Good Food Opportunity Fund; Distinguished Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Visiting Scholar, Stanford University Center-Food Security and Environment

SPEAKERS:

• Brian Lipinski, Research Associate, Food Program, World Resources Institute
• Claudia A. Sanchez Castro, National Coordinator, Pacto por la Comida, Red de Bancos de Alimentos de México
• Gray E. Norton, Clinical Fellow, Harvard Law School Food Law and Policy Clinic
• Janelle Meyers, Chief Sustainability Officer, Kellanova

CLOSING:

• Douglas L. O’Brien, Vice President, Programs, The Global FoodBanking Network

Original Broadcast Date: Thursday 16 May 2024