Through this collaboration, the organisations have updated Runa’s Clause, which is designed to help reduce supply chain food waste.
The clause has been created to act as a practical contractual tool to support businesses in reducing food waste across their supply chains, while supporting sustainability goals and operational efficiency.
WRAP has said that it will be advising its partners to incorporate the clause, as reducing food waste can deliver both financial and environmental benefits.
“Last year, the average cost incurred by a company for every tonne of food waste it generated ranged between £1,638 and over £4,200, across various sectors,” said Caroline Conroy, senior specialist, food system transformation at WRAP.
“The updated Runa’s Clause will be welcome news for businesses, as it means they can reduce costly food waste at the contract stage and avoid these heavy, persistent losses.”
She added: “This is good news environmentally too, as reducing a tonne of food waste prevents nearly 4 tonnes of CO2e from being produced. WRAP is delighted to collaborate with The Chancery Lane Project to update Runa’s Clause.”
The updated clause will strengthen requirements for businesses to measure the tonnage of food waste generated, record reduction initiatives and outcomes, and report progress against food waste reduction targets.
It will also encourage organisations to use recognised frameworks such as WRAP’s Food Waste Data Capture Sheet and align themselves with best-practice guidance, including WRAP’s UK Food and Drink Pact and Food Waste Reduction Roadmap.
A major UK-based food manufacturer has already received board approval to adopt the clause, with sauces, dressings, marinades, condiments, chutneys and cooking ingredients specialist the English Provender Company signing up to its waste reduction targets.
Carl Steckerl, business lead for environmental, social and governance at the English Provender Company, added: “The Billington Group is committed to reducing our food waste both within our business and the value chains in which we operate.
“We are pleased to have adopted the principles of Runa’s Clause to increase transparency in cases of avoidable waste. We are looking forward to working collaboratively with our suppliers and customers and embedding these principles into our ways of working.”
