WWF believes measurement, data, and understanding the drivers behind food waste will help inform and drive action. We work across the following areas with the most potential to scale food loss and waste reduction:
All of WWF's food loss and waste projects are viewed through the lens of addressing larger systemic food inequities experienced by communities that face barriers, such as immigrants, people of color, and Indigenous peoples. Our aim is to ensure that our projects maximize food use, advance circular systems, contribute to little to no land conversion, and engage in practices that elevate diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with diverse actors on this work, and if you are interested in getting in touch, please email [email protected]. See the current list of opportunities to partner with us here.
An estimated 10 million tons of specialty crops grown on farms each year never gets harvested or makes it past the farm gate—about a third of what’s grown. This loss happens because of labor shortages, cosmetic imperfections, weather events, and more, and it makes up about 16% of total US food loss and waste. WWF wants to know more about how this loss differs between various crops and understand the drivers. Through data-driven research and human-centered design, we hope to help overcome some of the barriers and challenges of getting more of this food to people.
WWF is partnering with food retailers to make transformational commitments to implement food waste reduction across their supply chains, publish annual findings on waste generation and diversion, and explore new innovations and delivery options that reduce overstocking in stores. We also aim to help customers avoid food waste in the home. WWF is currently working with businesses and governments in the Pacific Coast Food Waste Commitment—a regional public/private partnership focused on halving food waste on the west coast of North America by 2030.
WWF is working with students and teachers, grades K-12, to share the value of food and develop strategies to reduce waste. Schools can use their cafeteria as a classroom to conduct food waste audits and understand the connection between their food, wildlife, and habitat conservation. We aim to promote more sustainable and economical food service strategies in schools, in an effort to build a culture of respect for food and help students forge lifelong stewardship habits. Learn more about how your students or school can become Food Waste Warriors.
WWF serves as a coordinator of the global hospitality and food service sectors on the topic of food waste, supporting initiatives and tool development through strategic partnerships. Hotel Kitchen is WWF's hub of operational guidance for hotel properties addressing food waste, providing tools and step-by-step guidance for executives, chefs, managers, and staff to measure and manage waste. WWF supports restaurants and food service businesses to address food waste, collaborating with large food service and catering companies on initiative strategy and implementation. WWF's hub of guidance called 86 Food Waste was developed for US restaurant operators applicable to diverse restaurant concepts.
WWF is partnering with a coalition of non-governmental organizations to develop a comprehensive food loss and waste policy action plan that will help the US meet its goal of halving food waste by 2030, while also working to build a more regenerative and resilient food system, mitigate climate change, and reverse nature loss.