The Malta Business Bureau (MBB) and the Malta CSR Institute, which is backed by the HSBC Malta Foundation, have hosted the first in a series of half-day food waste reduction training and awareness sessions designed specifically for enterprises and their employees. A further six sessions are planned to take place in the coming months with 176 attendees already confirmed for the 2019 events which include sessions taking place on 14 November and 5 December.

Following on from a successful one-day course conducted by the Malta CSR Institute – Together for Sustainability, the Business Against Food Waste Campaign, is being led by the MBB also with the additional collaboration of the Institute of Tourism Studies, Wasteserv, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Ministry for Tourism.

The participants of this first session were initially introduced to the food waste challenge from a broad perspective. Opening this session, MBB Project Manager Gabriel Cassar discussed how food waste is a complex issue which impacts upon different areas, including our environment, the economy and the social sphere. 

Following this introduction, several professionals working in the food waste area provided participants with practical tips and techniques on how to reduce food waste.  The topics covered include sustainable food habits, sustainable seafood consumption, proper separation of organic waste, and growing food from food scraps. Representatives from the Ministry for the Environment, Gardenscapes Gardening Services, Wasteserv, the Malta Tourism Authority, AquaBioTech Group, and Nature Trust Malta led these activities.

Awareness about the importance of reducing food waste levels is growing. It is estimated that around 30 per cent of all food produced globally is wasted or lost, which amounts to roughly 1.3 billion tonnes of food per year ⁽¹⁾. According to the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization, this food waste contributes to 8 per cent of all greenhouse gasses released from human activities. ⁽²⁾ 

Further editions of the food waste seminars will be organised over the coming months. Individuals or businesses who are interested in participating in one or more of these seminars, are advised to contact Glenn Bugeja, HSBC Manager for Corporate Sustainability, on glenn.bugeja@hsbc.com.mt

Further information on the Business Against Food Waste Campaign, is also available by contacting the MBB Project Manager Gabriel Cassar on gcassar@mbb.org.mt or by clicking on www.mbb.org.mt/business-against-food-waste/ for future updates.

This event is part of the Business Against Food Waste campaign led by the Malta Business Bureau, in collaboration with the Institute of Tourism Studies and the HSBC Malta CSR Institute. The campaign is supported by Wasteserv Malta, the Malta Tourism Authority and the Ministry for Tourism.