EUROPE – The European Union alongside industry stakeholders has officially launched the EU code of conduct on responsible food business and marketing practices, a key deliverable under the commission’s Farm to Fork Strategy.
The EU commission notes that the Farm to Fork Strategy is at the heart of the European Green Deal aiming to make food systems fair, healthy, and environmentally friendly.
To develop the new codes of conduct, the European commission partnered with EU associations and companies with active involvement and input from other stakeholders, including international organizations, and NGOs.
The code is comprised of two levels of commitments: one for the EU associations and the other for companies in the food industry.
With the code, EU associations will be required to promote the shift towards healthy and sustainable consumption patterns.
For companies, the code has a framework for ambitious commitments with measurable outcomes in a wide range of areas, from animal welfare to sugar reduction and cutting greenhouse gas emissions in their full product range.
The governance of the Code puts in place the tools for collaboration among all actors concerned in order to generate new and more ambitious commitments, partnerships, and stimulate interaction and exchange.
“Addressing these environmental, health, and social challenges in our food system require cooperation across the entire food chain and I am encouraged by ambitions of the stakeholders who have already signed up to the EU Code of Conduct,” Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of EU College of Commissioners.
On the day of the launch of the Code, the EU reported that 65 entities including 26 food manufacturers, 14 food retailers, 24 associations, and 1 foodservice player) signed the Conduct.
Some of the major food companies on the list include Coca-Cola, AB InBev, Barilla, Nestle, PepsiCo, Danone, Pernod Ricard, and Unilever.
“More EU associations and companies in the food sector are invited to join the Code of Conduct which is perceived to be a game-changing solution,” The EU said in a statement.
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