F&B companies under the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) are reported to have met a 55 percent reduction in CO2 emissions, five years ahead of targets. 

This is according to the membership organization’s newly released updat on its Ambition 2025 progress, which highlights progress on sustainability benchmarks set in 2016. 

“We all need to play our part to protect and improve our environment,” remarks the UK’s Environment Minister, Rebecca Pow MP.

“The FDF’s support for the Courtauld 2025 targets and the UK Plastics Pact have the potential to make a real difference to how the nation uses its resources more sustainably and minimises waste, both vital to making progress in the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan,” she continues.

“The sector is setting an example to all businesses by supporting the government’s commitment to a natural capital approach and reducing the UK’s environmental footprint overseas.”

Tackling food waste
The report also highlights the commitments FDF members have made to reduce food waste and the organization’s engagement with UK governments on the packaging policy reforms alongside ongoing support for the work of the UK Plastics Pact.

Among significant targets, the FDF aims to send zero food waste to landfills from its member businesses and own direct operation.

Meanwhile, it cites that UK Plastics Pact members are on track to eliminate six out of eight of the items classed as problematic or unnecessary by the end of 2020.

Other notable achievements include the FDF’s work on water, wher between 2007 and 2019 FDF members reduced their absolute water consumption by more than one third (41.5 percent) and the amount of water consumed per ton of product was also reduced by 44.5 percent in the same period.

“Despite the difficult year industry has faced, sustainability and environmental initiatives have remained at the forefront of our agenda and this is clearly seen in the progress being made,” says Helen Munday, chief scientific officer at FDF.

“We know there is more to achieve, which is why we undertook the Mid-Term Review work. [We] can now present fresh, forward-thinking targets which we know our members are keen to embrace.”

In other FDF developments, the organization hosted the recent Food and Drink Federation Awards 2020, which toasted the achievements across categories including sugar reduction, soy-free meatless offerings and ethical chocolates.