Voluntary responsibility deals leading to better outcomes

Andy DaweHead of Food and DrinkWRAP

Contents

Introduction to WRAP

Voluntary responsibility deals

Evolution of Courtauld

Concluding remarks

ABOUT WRAP

WRAP’s vision is a world without waste, where resources are used sustainably.

We help businesses, individuals and communities reap the benefits of reducing waste, developing sustainable products and using resources in an efficient way.

How circular is the UK economy?

Successful PartnershipsCourtauld Commitment 1

“Prevented 1.2 million tonnes from landfill”

Federation House Commitment“In two years signatories achieved a 5.6% reduction in water use”

Construction Commitment“On track to reduce waste to landfill by 3 million tonnes per year”

Home Improvement Sector Commitment“Ahead of schedule in halving waste to landfill and cutting product damage”

Carrier bags“Reduced carrier bag use by 50%”

• Waste management sector – quality

• Paper sector – direct mail and wider

• Clothing sector – textile recycling

• LAs – waste and recycling services

Voluntary responsibility deals in the review of waste strategy in England

Voluntary responsibility deals in the review of waste strategy in England (2)

• Hospitality sector – food and packaging waste

• Packaging sector – recycled content, design for recyclability, collection (metals and plastics)

• Food sector – waste reduction

How does WRAP implement voluntary agreements?

Business Engagement

StrategicCommitment

Action by business

Set targets; embed in policy; set procurement requirements

Measurement & reporting: t, C, £ impacts

Implementation

WRAP Tools and resources

STAGE 1commitment

STAGE 2embed

STAGE 3implement

STAGE 4measure & report

The targets: what are the ground rules?

WRAP hold the targets – signatories help us to deliver them.

Sector target and not for individual businesses

All targets are absolute (consistent with Government targets).

WRAP’s responsibility to ensure that the collective actions of all signatories are sufficient for the targets to be delivered

Consistent with UK / EU policy

The Courtauld Commitment

Idea for the voluntary agreement came from a dinner at the Courtauld Gallery, Somerset House in 2005 – hence the agreement was christened the Courtauld Commitment.

Objectives of the commitment:

Commit to working with WRAP to achieve its objective of:

To design out packaging waste growth by 2008To deliver absolute reductions in packaging weight by March 2010To identify ways to tackle the problem of food wasteModified to: help reduce the amount of food the nation's householders throw away by 155,000 tonnes/y by 2010, against a 2008 baseline

Impact of Courtauld Commitment 1 2005-2010

1.2 Mt of waste reduced 3.3 Mt CO2 reductionsValue of avoided food waste: £1.5 billionSavings from reduced packaging: £300 million

GlassRite Wine Project

GlassRite Wine: bulk importation

• Bulk importation increased by 190 million bottles

• 44,000 tonnes of glass diverted from landfill

Aluminium cans

Lightweighted by 5%

Around 6.5 billion cans distributed across Europe

Reduction saving around 90,000t of CO2 (e)

Modified can design and reduced the gauge of the can body and end

No compromise on packaging quality

Research: WRAP, CCE and Beverage Can Makers Europe.

Plastic Bottles

Shift to concentrates – detergents and squashes

Many lines lightweighted

Increased use of recycled contentrPETrHDPE

Household food waste - how much?

8.3 Mt total, 5.3 Mt could have been eatenWorth > £12 billion/y (2008 prices)£480/y for the average household20 Mt/y of CO2e; Same emissions as from 25% of cars on UK roads

Buy the right amount

Keep what is bought at its best

Use what is bought

Helping consumers:

- Pack size range and availability

- Promotions

- In-store guidance

- Maximum shelf life

- Packaging design

- Clear storage guidance

- In-home tools

- Consistent, simple use of dates

- Portioning advice and tools

-Tips and recipes

Changing the retail environment

Courtauld 12005 – 2010

(2006 baseline)

Targets:Primary packaging (t):- Design out growth- Absolute reductionsHousehold food wastereduction (t / tCO2 e / £)

The Courtauld Commitment Phases Courtauld 22010 – 2012

(2009 baseline)

Targets:All packaging (t / tCO2 e):Household food and drinkwaste reduction (t / tCO2 e / £)Supply chain product lossReduction (t / tCO2 e)

Possible Courtauld 32013 – 20??

(2012 baseline)

Aspiration to improve theenvironmental performanceof grocery and homeimprovement products (incassociated packaging systems)

Courtauld 22010 – 2012

(2009 baseline)

Targets:All packaging (t / tCO2 e):Household food and drinkwaste reduction (t / tCO2 e / £)Supply chain product lossReduction (t / tCO2 e)

Tonnes Tonnes & Carbon Environmental impacts

Home Improvement Sector Commitment / Federation House Commitment

Courtauld Commitment 2 Targets : summary

3 Targets, 3 years (2010-2012):

Packaging TargetReduce carbon impact of packaging by 10%

Household Food & Drink Waste TargetTo reduce household food and drink wastes by 4%

Supply Chain Product Waste TargetTo reduce traditional grocery product waste in the grocery

supply chain by 5%

Courtauld Commitment Phase 2 Signatories

Government Support

The Courtauld Commitment is a great example of Government and some of Britain’s leading companies working together to optimise packaging and reduce food waste. I’m delighted to see these new signatories joining those taking up the challenge of Phase 2 of the Commitment.“I would encourage all retailers and manufacturers to think about and act to reduce waste.”

Lord Henley - Parliamentary Under- Secretary of State - Defra

Unilever working with Tesco to promote aerosol recycling

Improving recycling infrastructure: Biffa polymers plant

Storage Guidance

Product Research Forum

Why focus on product impacts? (1)

• On average for every tonne of product we produce we use 10t of fuel and materials, rising to 100t if we include water

• Only 2% of products exist in the economy after 6 months• The UNEP has estimated that the household consumption

over the lifecycle of products and services accounts for 60% of all of the impacts of consumption

• There has been a 50% increase in the extraction of basic materials from the environment in last 30 years…and a further 40% increase in extraction is forecast in next 20 yearsSources: The Mass Balance Movement: the definitive reference for resource flows within the UK environmental economy. (Biffaward – 2006). Available at: http://www.massbalance.org and Assessing the environmental impacts of consumption and production: priority products and materials (UNEP 2010) ISBN 978-92-807-3084-5: Friends of the Earth Europe, Friends of the Earth Austria and SERI (2009) Overconsumption – Our use of the world’s natural resources. Available at: http://www.foeeurope.org/publications/2009/Overconsumption_Sep09.pdf

Why focus on product impacts? (2)

• Global population rising from 6.4 to 9.3bn people by 2050 and 10.1 billion people by 2100

• The World Bank is predicting a 400% increase in global GDP in the next 30 years with the UNEP estimating an 80% increase in GHG emissions for every doubling of GDP

• One third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted (1.3bn tonnes a year). This equates to estimated per capita food losses in Europe and North America of 95 - 115kg per year; compared to 6 – 11kg per year in Sub-Saharan Africa

Sources: UN Population Bureau::World Bank economic forecast 2010; UN FAO – Global Food Losses and Food Waste – Extent, Causes and Prevention (May, 2011).

The Product Research Forum

A collaborative forum for those interested in quantifying, communicating and reducing product-related environmental impactsA platform for strategic discussions between business and government on product-related environmental issuesAn opportunity to learn, build capacity and share experiences An opportunity to grow corporate or industry programmesA way of exploring the content of future voluntary agreements

Product Research Forum: Vision Statement

“Our vision is that everyday products are designed resource efficiently, to minimise environmental impact and maximise the environmental benefits across the product lifecycle and take into account resource availability. This will support more sustainable lifestyles by encouraging sustainable consumption and production.”

We anticipate that this vision will be achieved by mitigating biodiversity impacts, eliminating waste, optimising water and resource use and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The forum’s vision

Sectors

Products we are taking forward

Traditional Grocery&

Home Improvement(Over 230 product

groups)

Potential application to other sectors

Textiles, Hospitality,Electrical and ElectronicProducts & Toys

Scope

Forum structure and activities

Steering Group

A multi-stakeholder forum that meets on a quarterly basisResponsible for overall programme management and prioritisation, including researchEstablishes working groups as requiredTackles cross-cutting issues and conflictsAgrees data governance arrangements for the forum

Communications WGMethodology WG SupplementaryGuidance WG

Develop metrics and indicators framework

Develop quantification methodology

Oversee impact data and hotspots research

Develop Product Category Guidance

Use hotspots analysis to prioritise work

Apply multi-metric approach

Knowledge management and capacity building

Communication of forum outputs including best practice

Agree, prioritise and co-ordinate the forum work programmeAgree forum data governance and management arrangementsLiaise with similar local, national and international initiativesOverall responsible for strategic direction and ratification of documents and

outputs

Bi-annual plenary meetings and annual conference

Conclusion

Conclusions• Voluntary agreements have proved to be

a successful way of delivering policy while saving money

• Win – win approach is essential

• Partnership is key to delivering change

Thank you

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