New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3 Charitable Trust (NZFWC 12.3 Trust)

There’s something extra special about bringing like-minded and passionate people together in a room, and we certainly felt that when our Kai Commitment signatories came together from George Weston Foods Goodman Fielder Fonterra Foodstuffs North Island Limited Foodstuffs South Island Nestlé Silver Fern Farms Ltd Woolworths New Zealand for our annual hui this week. It was a chance to build and share knowledge, strengthen relationships, and ideate on how to continue and build on the leadership to reduce food waste in Aotearoa that this group is showing.     It was especially brilliant to hear signatories share snapshots of some of the wins and the challenges they've encountered on their food waste journeys. This spirit of openness and ability to learn from each other is one of the real strengths of the Kai Commitment, the ability to learn from each other.  We look forward to sharing some of these inspiring stories soon.   Thanks to Klaeri Schelhowe from GS1 New Zealand, who shared valuable insights into 2D barcodes and the opportunity they present to embed enhanced product stewardship directly into scannable products.   We were also lucky to have Nerida Kelton FAIP from the Australian Institute of Packaging who shared global best practice and perspectives on the role of packaging in reducing food waste — and the critical link between smart packaging design and food system sustainability. It was wonderful to see the collective energy and expertise in the room and the unwavering commitment to working together to create a more sustainable, less wasteful food system. A big thank you to ANZ for hosting our event. Rosie Cotter Rosy Herstell Karen Edwards Charlotte Lewis Catherine Langabeer Nicola Voice Matt Harcombe Scott McKinnon Amanda McDermott Jenny Marshall Gavin Stewart Jess Watene Julia de Blaauw

Our warmest congratulations, Deborah Manning, we are incredibly proud to see you named the Genesis Energy Sustainability Leader of the Year / Te Toa Taiao o Te Tau at the 2024 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards. I am equal parts proud, honoured and grateful. Grateful that food waste reduction has been identified as a key sustainability issue and opportunity. Your visionary leadership through KiwiHarvest and the New Zealand Food Network is ensuring food is used to nourish communities that need it while also reducing waste and its impacts. We’re especially grateful to have your expertise and guidance as a trustee of New Zealand Food Waste Champions 12.3 Charitable Trust (NZFWC 12.3 Trust). Congratulations, from us all, we’re honoured to stand alongside you in this kaupapa.

This Food Waste Action Week get started on your food waste reduction journey with our Rapid Review Tool. For any business at any stage of the supply chain, this free self-assessment will help you determine the most impactful steps you can take, today. (Download from the link in comments)

When it comes to food waste, what gets measured gets managed. A business wanting to tackle food waste, first needs to understand how MUCH is being wasted and WHERE the waste is occurring. From there a clear plan can be actioned. The Kai Commitment Food Waste Rapid Review guides businesses to take control of food waste by helping: ✅ Identify where food is wasted ✅ Implement strategies to cut food waste ✅ Measure progress for continuous improvement As well as direct business benefits ♻️💲🤝cutting food waste also supports sustainability within our food system. Find out more and download the Food Waste Rapid Review https://lnkd.in/gpWTX2vk #FWAW2025 #FoodWaste #FoodWasteTool #KaiCommitment

Last week the Government announced a new waste and resource efficiency strategy and 2024-2026 work programme – here is what it means for food waste... * Acknowledges organic waste in landfill as a major emissions driver – prioritising this waste stream for investment of the waste disposal levy. * Includes some elements of systems thinking, including adopting the guidance of the waste hierarchy and acknowledgment of the environmental impacts of wasted resources, beyond just the harm of disposal. * The strategy follows suit with the Second Emissions Reduction Plan by largely prioritising dealing with food waste, rather than preventing it. (see our submission to the ERP2 discussion document for more detail). * While it commits to supporting territorial authorities to introduce organics curbside collection through the Waste Minimisation Fund, it rolls back a stronger commitment made by the previous Government’s waste strategy to implement curbside organics collections in all urban areas. Check out the strategy and work programmes here: https://lnkd.in/gr34YYRp https://lnkd.in/gt3CZa6U And our ERP submission here https://lnkd.in/gehiJVsJ #foodwaste #wastestrategy #foodwastechampions

It’s Food Waste Action Week! A perfect time to reflect on how you’re working to reduce food waste. Businesses play a critical role in tackling food waste—what they measure and manage can drive real change across the food system. But knowing where to start and having a plan can be a real hurdles to taking action. That’s why we’ve developed a simple, practical guide to help businesses take get started or review and refine their approach to reducing food waste. The Food Waste Rapid Review is a quick, three-step self-assessment tool designed to help businesses identify where food waste happens and take action to reduce it. Find out more and download here. https://lnkd.in/gpWTX2vk #FWAW2025 #FoodWaste #FoodWasteTool #KaiCommitment

Woah—I’ve been awarded the Evolving Woman in Food & Drink. Being named one of Aotearoa’s Top 50 Influential and Inspiring Women was incredible, but this honour has left me speechless (no mean feat). With only five awards given, I’m beyond humbled to stand alongside such trailblazers in our industry. The essence of this award resonates as I am forever evolving... - From letting imposter syndrome be the loudest voice - Striking the balance between my whānau and my mahi - As an adopted Kiwi, fast tracking building my network with those who have done the hard yards and provide space to make me a better leader and change maker Most of all, I’m captivated by NZ’s food system—ensuring our producers have a resilient, thriving future and that everyone benefits from our beautiful kai and the resources behind it. I hope what they say is true, my leadership in Food & Drink is just beginning. This seemingly irrelevant picture captures that evolution—I couldn’t attend the event because I was plugging into what drives me, spending the evening in a hut with my son (working on that balance). I’m excited to leverage this recognition for broader / deeper connections and to champion food being valued from farm to fork. Please reach out if I don't know you yet 💚 Huge thanks to my board, Champions and team for making this work possible, Kelli Brett and #WIFD for fostering this community, the many women acknowledged and those that aren't, and to my fellow award recipients carving the path for us evolvers to follow Judith Tabron, Ruth Pretty, Catherine Bell, Melanie Brown,  Christina Coker

This transparency is true leadership (in my opinion), it’s what we’re aiming for - showing the journey not waiting to reveal the (positive) end result. We all constantly see the competing priorities of sustainability managers, often they’re part time and tasked with much more than capacity allows. This is why the first step is gaining an understanding of what is material to your business and the material impacts your business has - measurement. All good food businesses should have food waste reduction as BAU. As Steffen Burrows from Pick and Pay in South Africa shows us, food waste reduction should be prioritised across the supply chain, not just within a Business’ operations. That is often where the greater gains, impact and byproduct benefits are found. I’m greatful to leaders who choose to share their progress over perfection. Love to see work from recently made colleagues/friends in SA Nicola Jenkin enabling this progress. Reach out if you want to better understand your food waste, we need more of this work undertaken and brought to light in NZ, not being guarded behind closed doors. #foodwaste #transparency #foodsystem

I am humbled to be included in this list of incredible women. The reasons that justify me being considered an 'influential and inspiring woman in food and drink' are so much to do with the community that I have the privilege of working within. I've been on the shores of Aotearoa New Zealand for 3.5 years, which is long enough to witness the palpable dedication to progressing toward a more sustainable food system. So many of those dedicated are women, so many have been included in this list. What an honour.

Brilliant to see Kaitlin Dawson recognised by Cuisine Magazine as one of New Zealand’s Top 50 Women in Food and Drink. It’s a great acknowledgment of Kaitlin’s unwavering commitment to building a more sustainable and resilient food system in Aotearoa through her mission to tackle food waste, an issue she aptly describes as “a stupid problem that makes no sense for our people, environment or businesses.” Our warmest congratulations to Kaitlin and the other 49 remarkable wāhine recognised. It’s wonderful to see the incredible talent driving positive change in our food and drink sector across Aotearoa. https://lnkd.in/ghG5JxEh #foodwasteleader #WIFDNZ