British Glass, the trade association for the UK glass industry, has become a signatory to the Courtauld Commitment 2025.
This world-leading voluntary agreement seeks to work along the entire supply chain to reduce the environmental impact of our food and drink. Signatories include the world’s largest food and drink manufacturers, and all the major UK retailers.
Over the next ten years this alliance has committed to reduce the resource intensity of the UK’s food and drink by one-fifth, saving consumers and business £20 billion in the process, by working to three ambitious targets:
- A 20% reduction in food and drink waste arising in the UK
- A 20% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity of food and drink consumed in the UK
- A reduction in impact associated with water use in the supply chain
The Commitment will drive best practice through its unique whole-system approach to the way food and drink is produced, sold and consumed in the UK. For the first time it will bring all parties together under one voluntary agreement to achieve collective goals.
British Glass’ head of container affairs, Rebecca Cocking, said: “Because of its inherent properties glass has a key part to play in food and drink sustainability: impermeable to gases it maintains product freshness and flavour for long periods without the need for additional linings and it’s fully recyclable.
“We’re very pleased to have been invited to be part of Courtauld 2025. British Glass firmly believes the best solutions to the challenges of sustainable manufacturing in the 21st century come from joined-up thinking across supply chains. We have to see the big picture to avoid unintended consequences or merely shifting environmental impact, rather than reducing it.
“Our members are already demonstrating ways of working that improve the sustainability of food and drink production – for example last year’s Glass Focus Award winner Encirc 360 saved their wine customers money and carbon emissions with a bonded warehouse integrated into the manufacturing and bottling process – allowing wine producers to easily ship in bulk and reduce the carbon per bottle by 137g.
The UK’s resource efficiency charity WRAP, on behalf of the UK Government and Devolved Administrations, today unveiled the pioneering commitment which already has 90 signatories including all major UK food retailers, brands, food service companies, trade bodies and local authorities already signed up.
Dr Richard Swannell, director of sustainable food systems at WRAP, said “The pressures of resource scarcity, population growth and our changing climate will have profound effects on our food supply in the coming years, and business efficiency. To safeguard UK food we need a step-change to increase sustainable food and drink production and consumption, conserve resources and combat climate change. Courtauld 2025 will do this.
“Collaboration has never been more important, which is why I want to thank the businesses and organisations that have committed to taking action.”
Notes
See #Courtauld2025 and for more information and Courtauld Commitment 2025 animation on www.wrap.org.uk/courtauld2025
The Courtauld Commitment 2025 is designed to help deliver policy objectives of the UK Governments, including the UK 4th carbon budget and Defra’s anticipated ‘Food & Farming Plan’.
