UN Tourism and United Nations Environment Programme have launched a global initiative titled “Recipe of Change” to tackle food waste across the tourism sector, mobilizing major industry players serving well over 600 million guests annually.

Announced on the occasion of the International Day of Zero Waste, the initiative was unveiled during a Global Roundtable aimed at accelerating efforts to reduce food waste, a growing environmental and economic concern worldwide.

The “Recipe of Change” programme seeks to drive measurable reductions in food waste by encouraging tourism businesses to monitor their waste levels and adopt operational and behavioral solutions. The effort aligns with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which targets halving global food waste by 2030.

According to the organizers, participating companies collectively generate more than $56.5 billion in annual revenue, underscoring the initiative’s potential to influence large-scale change. Industry leaders involved include Hilton, Accor, TUI Group, and Radisson Hotel Group, among others.

“2.3 billion people experience food insecurity every single day,” said Shaikha Al Nuwais, emphasizing the urgency of the issue. “With food wastage contributing up to 10% of global greenhouse gases, we must take decisive action. Recipe of Change seeks to do just that.”

Sheila Aggarwal-Khan highlighted the sector’s capacity to influence consumer behavior, noting that tourism businesses can redesign menus and implement strategies that deliver measurable reductions in waste.

The initiative builds on earlier efforts such as the “Green Ramadan” campaign led by Hilton in partnership with Winnow, which reduced food waste by over 60% in pilot phases and maintained reductions of 20–30% as the programme expanded.

Organizers said food waste reduction not only addresses environmental challenges but also lowers operational costs, strengthens resilience to supply disruptions, and contributes to global food security.

UN Tourism and UNEP have called on more businesses across the tourism sector to join the initiative, stressing that collective action will be essential to achieving meaningful progress toward global sustainability targets.

Source: Press Release