Working socially with food surplus. Good practices in ... · Working socially with food surplus. Good practices in Flanders-Belgium Conference 7 july 2014 Food Donation: Fighting

Working socially with food surplus. Good practices in Flanders-Belgium

Conference 7 july 2014

Food Donation: Fighting food poverty and adressing food waste

European Economic and Social Committee

With support from

What is KOMOSIE?

Federation of environmental enterprises in the social economy

(KOepel van MilieuOndernemers in de SocIale Economie)

We represent and support non-profit enterprises that have triple objectives:

▪ Environmental protection via reuse - waste prevention

▪ Create and maintain social employment

▪ Meet the needs of people in poverty

Better known as the federation of:

▪ Reuse centres (’94)

▪ Energy savers (’07)

Since 2013 active around the issue “food loss/waste/surplus”

Our ambition with regard to food surplus on the long run

The development and support of a network of companies and organizations that provide for the supply, storage, processing and distribution of food surpluses through various channels, on a food-safe and financially viable way including the creation of sustainable jobs in the social economy with a value for people in poverty and support from all actors

within a favorable policy framework at various levels!

Our goals

Support organisations to use food surplusses for social innovation and poverty reduction

Environ-ment

Social employment

Poverty reduction & well-being

Our multiple actions in 2014 - 2015

1. We act as an expert center in “Working socially with food surplus”

▪ Information sharing, individual help desk

▪ Initiator days every 3 months + collective coaching

2. We bring together different actors in the sector of food aid and social economy to exchange experience and to build partnerships

▪ Learning network every 1 ½ month; Work group Restaurants

3. Representation & advocacy (policy follow-up & recommendations)

4. We stimulate cooperation and info-exchange between offer and demand side, e.g. by a web-application to do food donations

5. We develop concrete business plans to be implemented by the social economy for the valorization of food waste

Good practice 1: Social grocers

Products are sold at low cost in shop-formula + meeting point

Demand driven Target people can become

collaborators Food surpluses from local

supermarkets, … + low priced products from farmers …

Figures for Flanders: 21 social grocers Number of families reached in

total: 5.554

Source: Leren Ondernemen vzw - Leuven www.socialekruideniersvlaanderen.be

Good practice 2: Social restaurants

• Cook meals for people in need or mixed public

• Some collect mostly fresh products of supermarket 1 tot 3days befor exp. date • Eg. >25% of the meals

made of donated food

• Guide:http://fr.coduco.be/pdf/Recup_alimentaires%20definitieve%20versie.pdf

Figures for Flanders: >100 social restaurants >60% create social

employment many volunteers

Source: Leren Ondernemen vzw - Leuven

Good practice 3: Coöperation with vegetable-auctions from farmers

Responds to request for more fresh and healthy products

Cooperation with 2 main auctions: BelOrta + REO

▪ Organisations can pick up vegetable-surpluses directly at auction or at centralised collection point (Food Bank W-Fl.),

Supported by cooking lessons and training on healthy food by several organisations (Welzijnsconsortium South-West-Flanders, resto of Goed Gevoel vzw ...)

Figures for Flanders: o 3 main vegetable - auctions o About 65 organisations (can)

collect fresh products there o Still large potential for more and

better coöperation

Source: Sociaal aan de slag met voedseloverschotten – Lief Vandevoort – 2013

Good practice 4: Do-it-your-self book of the Flemish Government

Launched on public event April ‘13

On the initiative of the Flemish Minister of poverty reduction

Best practices

Tips & tricks

Download a Dutch e- or paper version on http://www4wvg.vlaanderen.be/wvg/armoede/nieuws/Paginas/Sociaal-aan-de-slag-met-voedseloverschotten-verslag.aspx

Source: Sociaal aan de slag met voedsel-

overschotten – Lief Vandevoort – 2013

Good practice 5 Commitment declaration on food loss in Flanders

Initiative of Flemish Government + food chain federations (2014)

Cascade of value retention ~ food waste hierarchy as guidance

About 2nd stage:

Prevention

Donate & feed people in need

Feed livestock

Compost /energy

Dispo-sal

“We strive for sustainable partnerships with social actors on food aid to support working socially with food surplus”

Source: www.feeding5k.org/businesses.php

www.vlaanderen.be/landbouw/voedselverlies

Good practice 6: Common vision by the Learning network

All (different) types of food aid related organisations are present

▪ Belgian Federation of food banks

▪ Social grocers

▪ Social restaurants

▪ Social (economy) organisations active in food aid

▪ Charity organisations

May 2014 : elaboration of a COMMON vision and detailed policy recommandations

▪ Identifiying their common needs for structural support

▪ Transcending their individual differences

▪ Signed by 15 organisations of different types

English/Dutch version: www.komosie.be > thema’s > voedselverlies

Thanks for your attention!

More info:

www.komosie.be > thema’s > voedselverlies

Etienne Rubens & Hilde Van Duffel

project collaborators Food loss

Etienne.rubens@komosie.be

Tel: +32 32 81 03 30

KOMOSIE vzw, Uitbreidingstraat 470, 2600 Antwerp, Belgium

With support from