Champions 12.3, a coalition of 30 leaders including members of the food industry, has launched a new effort to reduce food loss and waste globally. The group aims to accelerate progress toward meeting Target 12.3 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that aim to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer level by 2030, and reduce food losses along production and supply chains including post-harvest losses.

Globally, a third of all food is lost or wasted between the farm and fork, amounting to nearly $940 billion a year and accounting for about 8 percent of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. According to the coalition, reducing food loss and waste can lead to a triple win, saving money for farmers, companies and households; feeding more people; and reducing pressure on climate, water and land resources.

The coalition includes CEOs of major companies, government ministers and executives of research and intergovernmental institutions, foundations, farmer organizations and civil society groups. These leaders will work to create political, business and social momentum to reduce food loss and waste around the world.

The announcement was made during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland, alongside the launch of the Rockefeller Foundation’s new YieldWise initiative, a seven-year, $130 million commitment to halving food loss and waste globally. The foundation’s president, Judith Rodin, is also a member of the coalition.

Champions 12.3 will complement and build on ongoing successful UN programs to reduce food loss and waste, efforts such as EU FUSIONS and the global Food Loss & Waste Protocol, private sector actions like the Consumer Goods Forum’s Food Waste Resolution and other initiatives.

See the full list of champions, and get more information at www.champions123.org.