Sodexo on track to halve its food waste by the end of FY25

To mark WRAP’s annual Food Waste Action Week (17–23 March 2025), Sodexo UK & Ireland has announced that it is on course to meet its goal of cutting food waste by 50 per cent by 2025 – five years ahead of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of 2030.

Reducing food waste is a key pillar of Sodexo’s 2040 net zero roadmap and a crucial step in its sustainability journey. Originally set in 2017 as part of its Better Tomorrow commitment, the FY25 target highlights the company’s leadership in tackling food waste.

To achieve this target, Sodexo has focused on the rollout of WasteWatch across all relevant sites in the UK & Ireland. Now deployed at 530 sites, WasteWatch works by rapidly capturing food waste data and giving clear insights into what is being wasted and why. Teams can then bring in operational and behavioural changes to help end avoidable food waste, whether generated in the kitchen or by consumers.

Since its launch in 2015, the programme has successfully prevented 10,381 metric tonnes of (carbon dioxide equivalent) CO₂e – the equivalent of powering 1,000 homes each year– and saved over 2.7 million meals from going to waste.

In just the past six months alone, WasteWatch has helped prevent 1,929 metric tonnes of CO₂e emissions and saved the equivalent of 508,773 meals from being wasted across the 530 sites.

Currently, Sodexo has achieved an average 45 per cent reduction in food waste across its sites where WasteWatch is deployed, compared to their respective baselines, and remains confident that by 31 August 2025, it will reach its 50 per cent reduction goal.

Claire Atkins Morris, Sustainability Director at Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “As a business serving a million meals every day, reducing food waste is one of the most effective ways we can cut carbon emissions and drive meaningful change. WasteWatch gives us the data and insights needed to understand where waste is happening and take targeted action to prevent it. By embedding this approach across our sites, we are not only making a significant impact on our environmental footprint, but also contributing to a more sustainable food system. As a global leader in delicious, sustainable, and nutritious food, we are committed to driving innovation that benefits both people and the planet.”