A new global standard for farmers, supermarkets and distributors has launched to help them better plan, implement and monitor their work to tackle food loss and waste.

Food loss and waste management system – Requirements for the prevention and minimization of food loss and waste across the food supply chain (BS ISO 20001) has been published by UK standards body BSI and the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

It is aimed at businesses of all sizes working in the food sector and has been developed with input from experts in more than 30 countries, including from environmental action charity WRAP.

The charity’s chief executive Catherine David said: “A recognised international standard brings greater focus to organisations systematically monitoring and managing their food loss and waste, helping to make this a more established part of how they operate.

“WRAP has championed action on food waste for more than 20 years, working with businesses to turn ambition into practical action and measurable reductions.

“We’re proud to have brought that experience and expertise to the development of BS ISO 20001 and hope the new standard will build further momentum for action globally, and help many more businesses reduce food waste, cut costs and improve efficiency, while delivering benefits for people and the planet.”

Identify hot spots

An aim of the new standard is to help businesses “identify hotspots, plan, implement, document and communicate controls, and demonstrate continuous improvement rather than a one-off effort”.

“Food loss and waste has significant economic, social and environmental impacts, and reducing it is a key priority for governments, international organizations and industry stakeholders,” said BSI.

The standards body adds that it is “the first internationally recognised management system standard to give organisations a globally standardised framework to manage, prevent and reduce excess food, and food loss and waste”.

BSI food sector lead Emily Field said: “Across the food supply chain, there is growing ambition and action to tackle food loss and waste.

“BS ISO 20001 builds on existing measurement and reporting approaches by providing a consistent, globally applicable framework for organizations to turn commitments into action, track progress and continually improve.

“Ultimately, it helps embed food loss and waste reduction into the way an organization operates.

“Importantly, it also provides a common language for communicating progress to regulators, customers and investors, helping to build trust and contribute to a more food-secure and sustainable world.”

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