UNEP and UN Tourism Launch "Recipe of Change" to Tackle Food Waste Across the Tourism Sector
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and UN Tourism have launched "Recipe of Change", a landmark initiative aimed at tackling food waste across the global tourism sector. Unveiled on the International Day of Zero Waste, the initiative brings together major industry players - including Accor, Club Med, Hilton, TUI Group, Iberostar Hotels & Resorts, Radisson Hotel Group, Six Senses, Minor Hotels, Meliá Hotels International, Constance Hotels & Resorts, easyJet holidays, Grupo Posadas, Lightblue Consulting, and Winnow - who collectively serve over 600 million guests annually and generate more than $56.5 billion in combined revenue. Participating businesses will measure food waste across their operations and implement both operational and behavioural solutions in support of the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which targets halving global food waste by 2030.
The initiative underscores the scale of the challenge: food waste contributes up to 10% of global greenhouse gases, while 2.3 billion people experience food insecurity daily. UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais and UNEP's Director of Industry and Economy, Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, both called on more tourism businesses to join the movement. The initiative builds on existing successes, including Hilton's "Green Ramadan" campaign in partnership with Winnow, which reduced food waste by over 60% in early pilots in 2023 and has since scaled from 3 hotels to 64 in 2026. Beyond its environmental impact, Recipe of Change is positioned as a practical business tool - helping operators reduce costs, build supply chain resilience, and contribute to broader food security goals.
Source: UN Tourism