ISS pledges to halve food waste by 2027

ISS, the facility management company, has signed the Cool Food Pledge, a commitment to reduce 25% of the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the food it serves globally by 2030, from its 2019 baseline, and it will halve its food waste by 2027. To meet these targets, ISS is rolling out a global food sustainability programme that includes training, innovation and a global partnership with technology company Winnow. Winnow develops Artificial Intelligence tools to help chefs cut food waste and costs, working with thousands of chefs in over 40 countries. ISS reportedly serves meals to over 1 million customers globally per day. Supported by Cool Food’s expertise, training and reporting programmes, ISS will now start implementing changes towards more plant-rich, carbon-reduced diets. This includes focusing on the entire value chain from purchasing more plant-based, to modifying menus, and changing behavioural patterns. ISS will also focus on changes to reduce waste in close cooperation with clients and suppliers. Additionally, the company will reportedly make it a requirement to record food waste in all food service contracts. The commitment to the Cool Food Pledge will be enforced by ISS’s broader food sustainability programme, including responsible sourcing initiatives, reduction of single use plastic, eco-friendly products, new technologies, food donation programmes and partnerships. Hamish Cook, head of Global Food Services, ISS World Services A/S, said: “I am excited to be accelerating our global efforts within food sustainability. On an industry level, food production alone accounts for a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, more than 1 billion tons of food is lost or wasted every year. “We acknowledge that the needed changes will not happen overnight. It is a journey, and it starts with truly understanding why and not least how. This is why a key focus in 2022 will be on training and education. For instance, all our chefs globally will now be trained in food sustainability via ISS’s global Learning Module System.”