Every year, a huge amount of food that could have been eaten is lost or wasted. In 2022 alone, around 1.05 billion tonnes of food were wasted globally, with nearly 19% of the food available to consumers going to waste UNEP Food Waste Index Report 2024. At a time when food insecurity remains a major challenge, this is a reminder that every effort to reduce food loss and waste matters.
As we mark the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, this year’s focus on the transformative potential of reducing food loss and waste reminds us that action can happen in many places, including the workplace.
Food waste happens at work too
In workplaces that provide meals, snacks, or canteen services, food waste can happen in simple ways: too much food is purchased or prepared, fresh ingredients spoil before they are used, portions are larger than employees need, or meals repeatedly go uneaten because they do not reflect employee preferences.
Employers can influence many of the decisions behind this, from what food is sourced and purchased to how it is stored, prepared, and served. These choices can affect both employee nutrition and environmental sustainability. The Workforce Nutrition Alliance highlights food waste management, sustainable sourcing and menu planning as practical opportunities for more sustainable workplace food provision.
Workplaces are hereby encouraged to act responsibly in reducing food waste; they can do this by:
- Understanding what is being wasted and why. From there, employers can take practical steps such as:
- Planning meals around actual demand, using employee numbers, previous consumption, and feedback to avoid over-purchasing or over-preparing.
- Making menus work harder by considering local and seasonal foods and planning ingredients so they can be used efficiently across meals.
- Offering appropriate portion sizes, while allowing flexibility where possible.
- Improving food storage and safely using suitable leftover ingredients in another meal or snack.
- Engaging employees with simple messages that encourage appropriate portions and more mindful food choices.
2. Nutrition education is part of the solution: Employees also make daily choices about how much food they take, what they eat and what they leave behind. Simple workplace communication can help employees understand appropriate portions, value the food available to them and recognise the wider impact of wasting food. Canteen staff can also strengthen their practices around food storage, handling and waste management. Employee education and canteen staff capacity are important in food waste management.
Small changes can make a difference
Reducing food waste at work does not have to begin with a major new programme. The above actions can help workplaces reduce waste, manage food costs, improve menus and make better use of nutritious food. As we celebrate this International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, workplaces have an opportunity to look beyond what is being served and ask what happens to the food afterwards.