Sustainable Business Code
The Manchester Food Board (MFB) are announcing a sustainability code for businesses in the food economy. The code has been designed to work for businesses across the food and hospitality sector.
Pushing for sustainable food practices through voluntary codes that are publicly signed has become popular across the food economy. It improves transparency and gives customers information on how businesses prioritise sustainability. One key difference in the MFB sustainability code is that it utilises a systems-driven approach to sustainability. It contains a set of multifaceted measures, and as a result, it aims to produce a more holistic perspective.
Instead of businesses prioritising just one aspect of sustainability, there are ten measures that make up the MFB sustainability code. This reflects that sustainability is not only a set of environmental measures, as it is often defined/used, there is also a wider definition. Sustainability is also about sustaining your employees, providing nutritious meals to children, and ensuring that food has been sourced without the use of forced labour.
For businesses to be accredited and display the MFB sustainability code symbol they must comply with the code. To do this they must show excellence in eight-of-twelve measures, with four-of-twelve at the medium level, and none at the weakest level. This gives the public a clear indication that a business has set priorities in various areas of sustainability.
MFB recognises that energy, time and potentially money are required to act and impact some of these measures. We are keen to work with and support businesses trying to increase their impact across any of the areas of the code. Please get in contact with us (email at the end of this article) and we will provide literature and resources.
As an example, if you want to do more to track your food waste, MFB has just partnered with Guardians of Grub, a national campaign from WRAP. We can send you their resources, including menu planning advice, food waste calculators and action plans.
MFB want to reduce the barriers to businesses becoming sustainable and recognise the work that it takes to do good work on sustainability.
If you are interested in signing up or receiving support, please email us at MFB@foodsync.co.uk
For more information see the page: Sustainable Business Code