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ISS has signed the Cool Food Pledge, a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the food it serves globally by 25 per cent by 2030, from its 2019 baseline. In addition, ISS has also committed to a 50 per cent reduction in food waste by 2027.
To meet these ambitious targets, ISS is rolling out a global food sustainability programme that includes training, innovation and a global partnership with technology company Winnow.
ISS is serving meals to over one million customers globally per day. Supported by Cool Food’s expertise, training and reporting programmes, ISS will now start implementing changes towards more plant-rich, carbon-reduced diets. This includes focusing on the entire value chain from purchasing more plant-based, to modifying menus (locally tailored), and changing behavioural patterns. ISS will also focus on changes to reduce waste – in close cooperation with clients and suppliers.
Signing the Cool Food Pledge is part of ISS’s roadmap to reach the company’s newly launched global targets of net zero greenhouse gas emissions within scope 1 and 2 by 2030 and full-scope net zero emissions by 2040.
The commitment to the Cool Food Pledge will be enforced by ISS’s broader food sustainability programme, including responsible sourcing initiatives, reduction of single use plastic, eco-friendly products, new technologies, food donation programmes and partnerships.
Hamish Cook, Head of Global Food Services, ISS World Services A/S, said: “I am excited to be accelerating our global efforts within food sustainability. On an industry level, food production alone accounts for a quarter of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At the same time, more than one billion tons of food is lost or wasted every year. ISS is an integrated facility services provider to the largest portfolio of workplaces across the globe – this comes with both a huge responsibility and also the opportunity to be a driver of change in the industry.
“Our overall ambition is to join the dots between climate, health and nature – an interconnected crisis to which we believe food can provide a powerful solution. We acknowledge that the needed changes will not happen overnight. It is a journey, and it starts with truly understanding why and not least how. This is why a key focus in 2022 will be on training and education. For instance, all our chefs globally will now be trained in food sustainability via ISS’s global Learning Module System.”
As another key initiative in 2022, ISS will make it a requirement to record food waste in all food service contracts. To support this, the company will expand its current partnership with Winnow on a global scale. Winnow develops Artificial Intelligence tools to help chefs cut food waste and costs. Headquartered in the UK, they work with thousands of chefs in over 40 countries around the world.
