Bangkok--27 Jan--CPF
The Charoen Pokphand Group (CP) is joining hands with the world's leading corporations to initiate the "Food Reform for Sustainability and Health" (FReSH) with an ambitious goal to create a society of responsible, sustainable and healthy food manufacturing and consumption.
At the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the EAT Foundation led 25 leading companies on January 19, 2017 to officially announce FReSH, a strong network of food and other business communities aimed to create food security on the basis of sustainable and healthy food manufacturing and consumption.
CP, the world's leading food manufacturer, is one among 25 reputable global businesses, which among a few include Nestle, Danone, Unilever, Kellogg, PepsiCo, Bayer, DuPont, Google and Quantis who help driven the project that continues to welcome new members interested in the mission.
FReSH aims to change the world's food manufacturing process into a sustainable manufacturing and consuming course of action strived to promote nutrition and health. To achieve this ambitious goal, leading corporations and academic institutions plan to turn knowledge and researches into effective outcomes and efficient management procedures that will yield such a challenging consequence.
Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Company Limited's Mr. Wuthichai Sithipreedanant, Senior Vice President, CSR and Sustainable Development, stated that as a food manufacturer under the CP Brand, CPF has already announced three main pillars of corporate social responsibility towards sustainability; namely, Food Security, Sufficient Society and Balance of Nature.
"Our operation is corresponding to what FReSH does. That's why it's such a good opportunity to be part of the project's steering committee to write terms and conditions on sustainable and healthy food manufacturing and consumption with other FReSH founding members," he insisted.
CPF, as the manufacturer and distributor of food, realizes its critical role in creating the world's food security, an agenda that is close to everyone's heart and has become part of international and regional food strategies. According to Mr. Wuthichai, CPF's business is in line with FReSH's goal. "We aim to produce nutritious foods that are safe and traceable on the basis of social responsibility and environmental awareness using innovative and standard manufacturing processes that response to future needs and fulfill sustainable consumption patterns," he affirmed.
Joining FReSH, CPF wishes to be part of an active network of the world's leading corporations and food manufacturers to create a society of sustainable and healthy food manufacturing and consumption that will not only win confidence and recognition among its suppliers, consumers and business partners around the world, but will also help the firm recognize the world's dynamic changes in business and consumer's expectations. "Joining FReSH means we will be ready to handle changes as well as to effectively translate researches and reports into sustainable development platform," Mr. Wuthichai said.
'What we eat and how we produce it drives some of our greatest health and environmental challenges. On the other hand, getting it right on food is our greatest opportunity to improve the health of people and planet. This will require concerted action across disciplines and sectors – and business will be a key part of the solution' - Gunhild Stordalen, Founder and President, EAT Foundation.
Initiated by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and the EAT Foundation and driven by private companies within the food and agriculture businesses, FReSH is a forum for the private sector to work with scientists, academics, policy makers and the civil society to expedite changes in the way the world and each country manufacture food through five operational guidelines; namely, developing guidelines for healthy and sustainable consumption; food production adjustment including formulation in the food manufacturing process to reflect the sustainability goal; changing food consumption behavior for the purpose of nutrition and health; improving food sourcing and reduction of food lass and waste the process of food and, finally, assessing and communicating its progress.