UN launches food‑waste campaign
What happened
The UN’s 'Recipe of Change' campaign was launched to halve food waste in tourism by 2030, with major hotel groups signing on as part of a broader push to cut waste and build resilience amid inflationary food shocks. The initiative ties sustainability goals to operational risk management in hospitality and travel. (ftnnews.com)
Why it matters
UN Environment Programme and UN Tourism formally unveiled the Recipe of Change initiative on 30 March 2026, aligning the launch with the International Day of Zero Waste. Signatories at launch include Accor, Club Med, Hilton, TUI Group, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, Six Senses, Minor Hotels, Meliá Hotels International, Constance Hotels & Resorts, easyJet holidays, Grupo Posadas, Winnow and Lightblue Consulting. The group of participating companies reported they collectively serve more than 600 million guests annually and generate roughly USD 56.5 billion in combined revenue. Recipe of Change traces back to a UNEP West Asia programme created in 2021 and has been folded into global mobilisation efforts and toolkits hosted on the One Planet Network platform. The campaign highlights digital measurement platforms and past industry pilots as templates, noting Hilton’s ‘Green Ramadan’ pilots with Winnow recorded reductions in food waste of around 60% and expanded into multiple properties. A One Planet Network roundtable held on 30 March 2026 convened operators and service providers to share toolkits, with organisers emphasising that food service accounts for more than 20% of global food waste and that food-system emissions represent roughly 8–10% of global greenhouse gases.
Key numbers
- The UN’s 'Recipe of Change' campaign was launched to halve food waste in tourism by 2030, with major hotel groups signing on as part of a broader push to cut waste and build resilience amid inflationary food shocks.
- (ftnnews.com) UN Environment Programme and UN Tourism formally unveiled the Recipe of Change initiative on 30 March 2026, aligning the launch with the International Day of Zero Waste.
- The group of participating companies reported they collectively serve more than 600 million guests annually and generate roughly USD 56.5 billion in combined revenue.
- Recipe of Change traces back to a UNEP West Asia programme created in 2021 and has been folded into global mobilisation efforts and toolkits hosted on the One Planet Network platform.
What happens next
- UN Environment Programme and UN Tourism formally unveiled the Recipe of Change initiative on 30 March 2026, aligning the launch with the International Day of Zero Waste.
Sources
Quick answers
What happened in UN launches food‑waste campaign?
The UN’s 'Recipe of Change' campaign was launched to halve food waste in tourism by 2030, with major hotel groups signing on as part of a broader push to cut waste and build resilience amid inflationary food shocks. The initiative ties sustainability goals to operational risk management in hospitality and travel. (ftnnews.com)
Why does UN launches food‑waste campaign matter?
UN Environment Programme and UN Tourism formally unveiled the Recipe of Change initiative on 30 March 2026, aligning the launch with the International Day of Zero Waste. Signatories at launch include Accor, Club Med, Hilton, TUI Group, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, Six Senses, Minor Hotels, Meliá Hotels International, Constance Hotels & Resorts, easyJet holidays, Grupo Posadas, Winnow and Lightblue Consulting. The group of participating companies reported they collectively serve more than 600 million guests annually and generate roughly USD 56.5 billion in combined revenue. Recipe of Change traces back to a UNEP West Asia programme created in 2021 and has been folded into global mobilisation efforts and toolkits hosted on the One Planet Network platform. The campaign highlights digital measurement platforms and past industry pilots as templates, noting Hilton’s ‘Green Ramadan’ pilots with Winnow recorded reductions in food waste of around 60% and expanded into multiple properties. A One Planet Network roundtable held on 30 March 2026 convened operators and service providers to share toolkits, with organisers emphasising that food service accounts for more than 20% of global food waste and that food-system emissions represent roughly 8–10% of global greenhouse gases.
