New Global Food Waste Standard Has Been Launched
A new international framework aims to help food businesses identify and reduce avoidable waste.
Updated on Sept. 30, 2026 in Organic Food
Live Poll
Do you believe large food companies are doing enough to reduce their avoidable food waste?
BSI and ISO have officially launched the BS ISO 20001 standard to help organizations across the food sector address waste. This framework provides a structured approach for companies to track hotspots and monitor progress in reducing food loss.
Why it matters
Food loss and waste currently contribute to approximately one third of global greenhouse gas emissions. This standard aims to help businesses target avoidable waste to lower their environmental impact while simultaneously reducing operational costs.
The BS ISO 20001 standard, developed by experts from over 30 countries, creates a formal management system for food sector entities. Its effectiveness at curbing the one third of global greenhouse gas emissions attributed to food waste is currently under implementation.
The players
BSI
The British Standards Institution develops technical standards and certification services to improve business performance and safety.
ISO
The International Organization for Standardization is an independent body that creates voluntary global standards for industrial and commercial sectors.
The details
The framework enables organizations to systematically identify waste hotspots throughout their operations. By implementing this standard, businesses can monitor their progress and communicate results to investors, customers, and regulators using a common, standardized language.
Timeline
September 30, 2026: BS ISO 20001 standard launched
Health Landscape
This standard represents a significant shift toward standardized global accountability in food management. It provides a formal, operational tool for companies striving to meet targets established under the UN Sustainable Development Goal 12.3.
While this standard focuses on corporate efficiency, consumers can look for future labels or company disclosures that show adherence to BS ISO 20001 as a marker of supply chain responsibility. It is worth discussing with your grocery retailers whether they are adopting these new waste-tracking protocols.
The takeaway
The new BS ISO 20001 standard provides a unified way for the food industry to account for and eliminate preventable waste. Consumers can track a company's commitment to these standards as one indicator of their overall environmental stewardship and operational efficiency.
Further reading
Learn more about the latest developments in sustainable production at Organic Food.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Edie.
Live Poll
Do you believe large food companies are doing enough to reduce their avoidable food waste?
