Exactly a year ago, the European Commission published its Farm to Fork Strategy with an ambition to make the EU’s food systems truly sustainable – something we wholeheartedly support.
The European food manufacturing industry is made up of over 291,000 businesses operating in every corner of Europe and we are convinced that the recovery from Covid-19 should be underpinned by a green economy and a commitment to healthier living.
The Code of Conduct for Responsible Business and Marketing Practices is one of the first deliverables of the Farm to Fork Strategy and an integral part of its action plan.
The Code discussions are ongoing, with the aim to have it ready for signature by interested parties very soon, but the process has already showed the value of constructive dialogue.
All actors in the farm to fork process, including food manufacturers, food service operators and retailers have joined the European Commission to find areas to improve and communicate on sustainability performance.
Indeed, the process has already prompted FoodDrinkEurope to publish its new website with a directory of over 300 activities our members are undertaking in order to do what they do more sustainably. This directory is a mere snapshot of what our members are doing, but we hope it will help all businesses to learn from each other, as well as stimulate new ideas to make further improvements.
We have also launched The Foodies – the inaugural awards to celebrate Europe’s most sustainable food and drink SMEs. It includes an award for European start-ups working on game-changing sustainable innovations that could change the face of our industry over the coming years.
And very soon we will launch our #FoodFuture campaign where we will host a series of activities throughout 2021 inviting all stakeholders to share ideas on how we can build on progress made during the Code discussions to ensure truly sustainable food systems.
Watch this space!
