Food Politics

Could you do your job if you were kicked out your house, had no food, and under constant attack by parasites and poisons? Not likely. But this is what life is like for many species of birds, bees and other insects who pollinate our crops and help grow one-third of the global food supply.

Tetra Tech’s evaluation of the potential of food waste reduction strategies in Canada was highlighted in Recycling Product News in June 2017. For a National Zero Waste Council-commissioned study, Tetra Tech and Boston Consulting identified that adopting proven actions and technologies could reduce approximately four million tonnes of greenhouse gases (GHG) generated in Canada annually. Tetra Tech’s team is Leading with Science to examine prevention and sustainable management practices for addressing the vast amount of food waste.

When we talk about waste going to landfill it’s usually about one of two sources: manufacturing or the dinner table. But what about all the connector points that a product hits before it gets to you? Here at Nestlé we are taking a whole supply chain approach, and I’m happy to share that now your Stouffer’s Lasagna (or your DiGiorno pizza, or your Edy’s ice cream…) are coming to you from distribution centers that are landfill-free.

Procter & Gamble, Cargill and BASF are working together with German development agency GIZ to solve the problems by creating a sustainable certified and transparent supply chain of coconut oil in that area of the world.

Congratulations to The Nature Conservancy, Marine Stewardship Council, Tri Marine, and the others involved in launching the Tuna 2020 Traceability Declaration. SCS has provided third party MSC assessments of fishery management and seafood traceability since 2000. As a Conformity Assessment Body that focuses on environmental and social certification, SCS will continue to be an active leader in the industry, supporting this commitment to rid oceans of illegal tuna fishing and forced labor. http://ow.ly/SV7630cxp9a

General Mills has worked to protect and restore pollinator habitat dating back to 2011 in the U.S., and most recently made a $2 million, five-year commitment to pollinators in partnership with the USDA and Xerces Society, which was matched by the USDA.

We didn’t stop there.

These days, it’s nearly impossible to open up a paper, news website or even Twitter and not see mention of a climate-related issue. People everywhere – concerned citizens to climate scientists to federal legislators – are trying to understand what to make of it and what to do about it. According to NASA’s scientific-based evidence, climate change is real and is happening as 2016 was our warmest year to date. At this moment in history, we know that we can still make changes to alter human impact on our climate. And at General Mills, we’ve taken the approach that we have a responsibility to do something about it.

Every year Wessanen releases its integrated Annual Report including the latest Sustainability Report, highlighting the company’s approach to creating environmental and social impact.

Olam International has merged its Annual Report with its Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report for the first time, reflecting the interdependence of economic, social and environmental performance for the global agri-business and the importance of creating value across all three fronts.

Tamara Coger of Tetra Tech’s Environment and Natural Resources sector discusses the benefits of investing in sustainable natural resources management to people, societies, and economies around the world. All opinions expressed in this post are the author’s own.