United Against Waste

Establishment, development and management of a Switzerland-wide network against food waste in the food industry

Development of the leading Swiss industry initiative to reduce food waste

Implementation of effective offers for food companies in the catering, processing and retail sectors

Successful cooperation between business and public authorities (cities, cantons, federal government) via the UAW platform

THE INITIAL SITUATION

The goals are clear – but how are they to be achieved?

Around 2.8 million tons of food waste are produced in the food industry and households in Switzerland every year. From the field to the plate, valuable resources are wasted and the environment is unnecessarily polluted. SDG 12.3 and the Federal Council’s national action plan therefore aim to halve food waste by 2030.

Many of the causes of food waste can only be tackled collaboratively from field to fork. There is a basic consensus that coordinated strategies and measures are needed – but which ones, by whom, and how much? In addition, the reduction of food waste is frequently called for in the media – which reinforces the growing social impact. Against this backdrop, the industry initiative United Against Waste (UAW) was launched in 2013 by forward-looking companies in the food service industry.

OUR SOLUTION APPROACH

Creating creative space for an innovative network

Mit UAW besteht ein Verein, der das Ziel verfolgt, Lebensmittelabfall entlang der gesamten Lieferkette zu halbieren. Der Verein orientiert sich am Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 und umfasst bald 200 Mitglieder aus der gesamten Lebensmittelbranche.

Foodways is responsible for the management of the United Against Waste office and thus creates the future-oriented framework for the association in a continuous development process. We draw on our many years of experience to get innovative network projects rolling.

We mainly contribute to the association:

Development and implementation of strategic objectives in collaboration with the association’s Board of Directors
Management of the association network with its growing member base and diverse partners from business, authorities and the media
Conception and implementation of a Food Save Management methodology for the analysis, measurement and continuous reduction of food waste in the catering industry
Representation of the association vis-à-vis authorities, business and the public
Operational management of the association’s projects
Communication (website, newsletter and media relations)
Association administration
Event organization and moderation

EFFECT & RESULTS

Combined forces and measures make it possible to halve food waste by 2030

United Against Waste is a well-known network and cooperation partner throughout Switzerland in the food industry as well as with authorities, associations and civil society
Growing membership base of almost 200 members (as of 2023)
Food Save Management method enables long-term reduction of food waste by an average of 35% in the catering industry (this corresponds to the SDG target)
Establishment of the Fokus Food Save event as an annual networking event
Progressive topics through strong networking in Switzerland and Europe