Hundreds of tons of food are thrown away every day in the world before reaching consumers due to improper storage conditions and careless transportation. Logistic errors make food look unappealing to consumers or even make it unsafe for consumption. Of course, well-functioning logistics are most needed for foods with special temperature requirements and short shelf lives. However, good supply chain management helps prevent waste of resources and environmental damage, including food loss at all stages of transportation, for all food categories.
Modern international logistics companies are guided by the principles of sustainable development and help their partners to be more responsible about the environment and, in particular, prevent food loss.
An example of such a company is CHEP, an Australian pallet and container logistics company serving customers in industrial and retail supply chains in over 46 countries. Its parent company, Brambles, handles logistics and supply management in 60 countries.
The company publishes annual Sustainability Reviews, in which it talks about the prevention of losses in logistics, achieved through sharing, pooling and reuse of equipment.
Brambles and CHEP also actively work with the largest food banks in the world. The companies provide the Global Food Network (GFN, the largest network of food banks across the world) with supply chain knowledge, food donations, volunteers and financial support to help GFN to reduce hunger, poverty and food waste worldwide. The GFN includes 792 food banks located in 32 countries. Last year, GFN food banks, in partnership with 27,000 charities and community organizations, distributed 421,840 tonnes of food to 6.8 million people in need.
Brambles and CHEP support the European Federation of Food Banks as well, helping it coordinate volunteers and procurement to fight hunger, reduce poverty and food waste across Europe. In addition, CHEP and Brambles are major sponsors of the Food Bank Leadership Institute, an organization that analyzes food bank operations around the world and provides training to food banks’ staff.