WRAP have recently announced that the Courtauld Commitment, which launched in 2015 as a ten-year programme, is to be extended to 2030.

The Commitment is already helping the UK food and drink sector to deliver against the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12.3 to halve food waste and this move means that it now aligns seamlessly with that wider global target.

The full press release can be found here

The core Courtauld Commitment targets have been recast to reflect the extension and expansion of the agreement, as follows:

• A 50% absolute reduction in GHG emissions associated with food and drink consumed in the UK by 2030, against a 2015 baseline.
• A 50% per capita reduction in food waste by 2030 vs the UK 2007 baseline.
• To achieve sustainable water management (quality and quantity) in the top 20 most important product and ingredient sourcing areas in the UK and overseas – covering 50% of product ingredients deemed ‘at risk’ from water insecurity.

To enable the benefits of the Courtauld Commitment 2030 to be accessible to smaller businesses, WRAP have now also introduced an Associate Membership model meaning small and medium-sized enterprises can access a dedicated online platform with resources to help implement strategies towards the core targets on carbon, water stewardship and food waste prevention.

The Courtauld Commitment Annual Report, has also recently been published highlighting many of the activities of the last year, including:

• Food Waste Action Week showed that wasting food feeds climate change.
• Almost £7m awarded to redistribution organisations in England by Dec 2020.
• WRAP research revealed a 45% increase in UK redistribution in 2020 vs 2019: over 92,000 tonnes, worth £280 million and the equivalent of 220 million meals.
• 249 businesses now committed to implementing ‘Target, Measure, Act’ in their operations.
• New greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction target for the UK food system agreed.
• Six pilot Courtauld Commitment Water Ambition water stewardship projects gaining momentum.

The full report can be downloaded here

Also available here, are slides from a webinar held on 15^th July for Courtauld Signatories on ‘Helping the UK food system achieve global environmental goals with the Courtauld Commitment’