Food and drink manufacturers are set to renew their commitment to reducing their impact on the environment, protect natural capital and contribute to the delivery of a sustainable food system for the future.

This is the core message from the Food & Drink Federation’s (FDF’s) Ambition 2025 scheme, a revamped commitment leading on from its Five-Fold Environmental Ambition (FFEA) originally launched in 2007 and acknowledged to be the first UK sector-wide set of environmental commitments.

The new Ambition covers key areas where FDF believes food and drink manufacturing can help deliver the biggest positive impacts by working collaboratively across their supply chains. It includes new commitments on C02 emissions, food waste, use of more sustainable packaging systems, water use, and transport emissions.

A decade since the first Ambition was launched, food and drink manufacturers have made significant progress on those targets. The Ambition also goes further than the FFEA, with plans to engage members and stakeholders in the promotion of sustainable supply chains and the enhancement of natural capital. In collaboration with others, FDF believes the industry can play a positive role in building resilient and sustainable value chains into the future.

Helen Munday, director of food safety, science and sustainability & chief scientific officer at the FDF, said: “FDF’s Five-fold Environmental Ambition was truly ground-breaking when we launched it in 2007. Now, having made great progress across a range of areas, including massive CO2 emission and water use reductions, we’ve looked again at what more we can deliver, engaging with more companies within our sector and beyond.

“The partnership approach has proven most effective at engaging the diverse parts of the UK food chain. We’re working with government and partners such as WRAP and the Natural Capital Coalition to help deliver wider objectives.”