WRAP to replace Courtauld 3 with 10-year framework

The Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has begun meeting with governments and industry stakeholders to discuss the development of a new, 10-year framework to boost resource efficiency in the food and drink sector.

Running from early 2016 until 2025, Courtauld 2025 will build on the work undertaken through the previous manifestations of the Courtauld Commitment, plus the work of the Product Sustainability Forum and the Hospitality and Food Service Agreement.

Courtauld 2025 details

The new framework aims to reduce the carbon footprint of the food and drink sector by cutting down on wastage of carbon, food, packaging, and water. This follows on from WRAP’s research that found that avoidable food waste costs the UK around £19 billion. As such, the body argues that unless such inefficiency is tackled, businesses will face increasing issues around cost and food security.

According to WRAP, Courtauld 2025 will ‘differ significantly’ from the previous and existing Courtauld agreements by ‘taking a whole system view to address other areas of resource efficiency for the first time’.

Although no targets have yet been identified, WRAP has highlighted that it expects industry to agree on developing ‘over-arching targets for carbon, water and waste reduction spanning the whole food system’. It has said that it does not expect there to be a 'joining fee', but 'businesses may wish to contribute financially and/or in-kind to a number of project activities'.

Subject to further consultation, the proposal is to focus effort on four delivery themes: changing what is supplied; changing how it is supplied; changing how produce is consumed; and changing what is done with waste and by-products throughout the life cycle.

WRAP has said it hopes the longer lifespan commitment will ‘help enable organisations to assess the evidence, identify priorities, and work collaboratively to move beyond changes at individual stages of the food life-cycle and focus on optimising system-wide outcomes’.

A formal proposition is expected for release in 2015, once the current phase of the Courtauld Commitment framework (Courtauld 3) has concluded.

Find out more about Courtauld 2025.

LWARB and WRAP to partner

As well as developing Courtauld 2025, it has also been announced that WRAP will be partnering with the London Waste and Recycling Board (LWARB) to help London boroughs deliver ‘more consistent and efficient waste and recycling services’.

The proposed partnership will deliver a programme to help London local authorities deliver the Mayor of London’s 50 per cent recycling target and continue to help boroughs save money.

Running from April 2015, the partnership will build upon LWARB’s current Efficiencies Programme (which it estimates will deliver £10 million of savings per year by 2016).

So far, the partnership has identified that work will be focused on:

• delivering ‘consistent and efficient’ waste management services throughout London;
• increasing the recycling performance of London boroughs;
• ensuring boroughs can recover high-quality recycling and maximise the income generated from that material;
• helping boroughs realise and generate more value from their waste management services; and
• promoting and encouraging waste prevention and reuse.

Wayne Hubbard, Chief Operating Officer of LWARB, said he was “excited to be exploring a more strategic relationship with WRAP” that would “deliver a one-agency approach for London boroughs providing specific and focused support at a regional and local level”.

WRAP Director Marcus Gover added that he was “delighted” with the new partnership and “looked forward to helping London drive forward its waste management and recycling, both for the benefit of the capital and the wider UK”.

Find out more about LWARB’s Efficiencies Programme.