Sustainability

Addressing sustainability from an industry perspective involves a complex set of drivers and responses, we believe that a coordinated, cooperative effort involving the entire supply chain is needed to effectively address sustainability challenges.

AFGC considers water, waste, energy and social issues to be the current key sustainability challenges for the food and grocery sector. 

We strongly view sustainability as an opportunity to unlock immediate and long-term value via tangible cost savings and resource efficiencies,  risk mitigation, reputation and market positioning, and staff engagement and retention.  In short, AFGC believes pursuing sustainability makes good business sense.

Our Sustainable Practices Committee is made up of representatives from across our membership with a vast array of experience from environmental management to corporate affairs and quality control. The core issues for the Committee include:

• Water - availability and efficiency
• Waste - resource efficiency
• Energy - climate change  and greenhouse gas emissions
• Social - ethical sourcing and corporate responsibility.
  

Our Principles

We are committed to developing sustainable and socially responsible systems for the production and consumption of products, ensuring the food and grocery industry provides safe and healthy products for consumers, while investing in our local communities, engaging effectively and responsibly with our customers and creating wealth and employment in the Australian economy.

The Australian Food and Grocery Council is committed to developing sustainable and socially responsible systems for the production and consumption of products, ensuring what we provide is safe and healthy for consumers, investing in our local communities, engaging effectively and responsibly with our customers and creating wealth and employment in the Australian economy.

The AFGC:

• Encourages dialogue between industry, government and others to promote the development of sound policy on sustainable food and grocery production and consumption measured by social, environmental and economic dimensions.
• Undertakes industry data collection and benchmarking to assess progress by the industry.
• The AFGC encourages member companies to meet this commitment by:
• Designing, operating and maintaining processes and plants which optimise the use of all resources whilst ensuring that unavoidable wastes are recovered, reused or disposed of in an economically sustainable and environmentally responsible manner
• Minimising the use of substances and site emissions including odour, noise, air and water that may potentially harm the environment
• Using and developing packaging and distribution systems that reduce demands on natural resources, whilst preserving product quality, safety and packaging functionality
• Ensuring all product labelling is accurate, truthful, not misleading and capable of substantiation
• Working with suppliers and other business partners in the supply chain to measure environmental impacts to create a robust platform for systemic improvement in performance
• Encouraging a culture of environmental awareness amongst employees through management commitment, appropriate communications, training and other relevant initiatives.