Food and the environment

Food and drink products play a central and fundamental role in daily life. Every day, some 480 million EU citizens rely on high quality food for their nutrition, health and well-being. Food and drink products relate to their life-style and reflect their cultural identity.

The food and drink industry is fully aware that the production and consumption of its products (from farm to fork and beyond) also triggers environmental implications. To ensure long-term sustainability, the common objective of European food and drink manufacturers is continuously to improve the environmental performance of their products and processes, while meeting consumers' needs for food safety, nutrition, health, convenience, life-style and product choice.

For many years, food and drink companies have shown leadership in environmental sustainability. This includes voluntarily cutting energy use, water consumption and waste generation, increasing resource efficiency and engaging in a range of initiatives with food chain partners.

Environmental sustainability has inherent benefits for the industry: At first, it is the natural environment where the sector's raw materials are grown. It forms the basis for the long-term health and prosperity of the sector. Environmental sustainability also enables companies to remain competitive by reducing resource use and costs. There is a strong business case for efficient management of natural resources. Not least, the industry is fully aware of its social responsibility and is committed to make a positive contribution to society and the natural environment.

The objectives of this publication and website

An important element of CIAA's work on sustainability is to share key environmental issues with internal and external stakeholders. This website is based on the CIAA publication "Managing Environmental Sustainability in the European Food & Drink Industries" (2nd edition, 2008) which in turn builds on the CIAA Environment Review 2004. Its first objective is to invite all stakeholders inside and outside the food chain to join in common debate and intensified co-operative action, with a view to demonstrating collective responsibility as the key to sustainability - and as a positive alternative and complement to regulation.

The second objective is to show all food and drink manufacturers the commercial, financial and environmental benefits of the sustainability agenda. Competitive and cost pressures are key drivers of sustainable development in the industry. Today, many food and drink companies are delivering excellent achievements. Raising the profile of sustainability for the entire sector requires all manufacturers to raise their game.

The structure of this publication and website is threefold :

• First, it gives a structured overview of the main environmental challenges affecting the food sector along the life-cycle of its products.
• Second, it illustrates food and drink companies' strategies, actions and achievements.
• Finally, it looks ahead and identifies priority areas for further action by all stakeholders.

The European food and drink industry sincerely hopes that this website will serve as a constructive basis for future debate and cooperative action to achieve our common objective of ensuring long term sustainability in food and drink production and consumption.