FoodDrinkEurope has officially signed the EU Code of Conduct on Responsible Food Business and Marketing Practices.

Mella Frewen, FoodDrinkEurope Director General, said:

“The EU Code of Conduct marks a significant step towards delivering more sustainable food systems in Europe. The past few months have been intense with a wide range of stakeholders providing input into the process. Participants came from across the entire food chain including international organisations, NGOs, trade unions, and the European Commission.

As the organisation of the largest manufacturing sector in the EU, we take our responsibilities very seriously and aim to show leadership in the transition towards more sustainable food. We were therefore privileged to take the chairmanship of the Task Force developing the Code, but credit must go to all contributors for this collaborative effort.”

Marco Settembri, FoodDrinkEurope President and Nestlé CEO for EMENA, said:

“The real hard work begins now. By signing up to the Code the industry is committing to drive actions that will contribute to healthier living, a greener planet and a thriving European economy.

“In order to take everyone along on the food sustainability journey, including the SMEs that make up 99 % of Europe’s food and drink sector, we count on continued support from the European Commission and other public authorities. We invite all stakeholders to continue this collaboration towards our common goal of sustainable food systems where progress is real and where Europe can become the gold standard for sustainable food.”

FoodDrinkEurope will now promote the Code among its network and work with its members to make it a success.