ISO 20001: A New Global Standard to Tackle Food Waste

Bureau Veritas is proud to support the development of ISO 20001, a forthcoming international standard dedicated to food waste and loss management. As part of its commitment to sustainability and responsible food systems service offers, Bureau Veritas has been actively participating in the ISO 20001, contributing with technical expertise and global insight to shape the new standard.


Considering Bureau Veritas has already developed a management system standard for food waste since 2022 to support customers and food industry players who were looking for framework to drive the food waste reduction commitments.


 


Currently progressing through the Committee Draft 2 (CD2) stage, ISO 20001 is anticipated to reach the Draft International Standard (DIS) stage soon, with formal publication expected in the near future. The standard is poised to become a game-changer for organizations across the food supply chain, offering a structured framework to measure, monitor, and minimize food waste and loss throughout the entire lifecycle—from agricultural production to final consumption.


ISO 20001 will address critical touchpoints including storage, transportation, processing, and packaging, and will introduce standardized definitions, performance metrics, and best practices. By establishing a common language and systemized approach, the standard aims to enable companies to more effectively tackle food waste, a pressing global issue with profound environmental, social, and economic implications.


“Food waste and loss is a major sustainability challenge,” said a Bureau Veritas spokesperson. “As an active member of the ISO 20001 working group since 2022, we are proud to contribute our expertise toward a standard that supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and has the potential to drive real progress across the global food industry.”


Bureau Veritas is uniquely positioned to support organizations in preparing for and implementing ISO 20001. Leveraging a global network of food safety and sustainability specialists, the company offers services to help clients design compliant management systems, develop data collection and reporting tools, and align operational processes with the standard’s requirements. Additionally, Bureau Veritas provides independent verification and certification to validate the integrity of food waste and loss management programs.


“With ISO 20001 on the horizon, now is the time for food businesses to begin preparing,” Lone Hansen Food market Leader Denmark and member of ISO 20001 working group added. “Early adoption will not only ensure compliance but also unlock operational efficiencies and environmental benefits”.