At the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, 25 leading global companies announced their collaborative commitment to accelerating transformational change in global food systems.

The companies have joined together to launch FReSH- the Food Reform for Sustainability and Health program- under the leadership of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the EAT Foundation (EAT). The program is open for more companies to participate.

FReSH is designed to accelerate transformational change in global food systems, to reach healthy, enjoyable diets for all, that are produced responsibly within planetary boundaries.

To achieve this ambitious goal, FReSH has brought business and science to work together. It draws on knowledge and efforts from premier research institutions, and is working with the business community to develop successful, high-impact solutions.

Participating companies include Arla, Bayer, Danone, DSM, DuPont, Firmenich, Givaudan, Kellogg’s, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Rabobank, Solvay, Syngenta and Unilever.

The launch of FReSH follows the joint initiative announced by WBCSD and the EAT Foundation to create the “conference of parties” for food, in order to accelerate the transformation towards a healthy and sustainable global food system. The partnership was formally launched at the EAT Stockholm Food Forum on 14 June 2016.

According to FReSH, close to 100% of the food consumed across the world is produced and supplied by the private sector. This puts large and small businesses at the heart of the potential for transformational change in food systems all over the world.

FReSH is described as a platform for the private sector to achieve this transformation in a safe and pre-competitive space. In cooperation with science, academia, policy-makers and civil society, FReSH says it will catalyze change across the food systems, taking into account local eating patterns, by focusing on the following work streams:

Developing guidelines on healthy and sustainable diets taking into account social and environmental considerations;

Food production adjustment, including formulation and offering to help achieve healthy and sustainable diets;

Food consumption reorientation to strengthen demand for healthy and sustainable diets;

Improvement of food sourcing and reduction of food loss and waste

Measurement, reporting and communicating progress.