BP has awarded its first Advancing Low Carbon accreditation in Australia to its community partnership with food rescue organisation, OzHarvest.
In 2018, OzHarvest rescued 8,517 tonnes of food, according to BP. In turn, this saved 5,300 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from entering the atmosphere.
BP Australia President Andy Holmes said: “We began our partnership with OzHarvest in 2016 and it keeps going from strength-to-strength. I’m incredibly proud that we’re working together to make real, sustainable change to the quality of living in Australia.”
BP’s Advancing Low Carbon accreditation programme identifies ways BP can cut carbon, either alone or by partnering with others.
The BP OzHarvest Ultimate Partnership is one of 52 global initiatives that BP has certified through the programme. To gain accreditation, each activity must meet rigorous criteria. BP’s partner Deloitte LLP must also assure the activity independently.
A nourishing partnership
As their Ultimate Partner, BP fuels OzHarvest’s fleet of refrigerated vehicles and supports the organisation’s education programme, Nourish. This provides hospitality training for disadvantaged and at-risk youth.
BP also donates leftover food from 120 retail stations around Australia. In Australia alone, more than five million tonnes of food end up as landfill. When the food rots with other organic compounds in landfill sites, it releases methane, a highly damaging greenhouse gas.
CEO ans founder of OzHarvest Ronni Kahn said: “If food waste was a country, it would be the third biggest emitter of greenhouse gases after the US and China. It’s a major contributor to climate change.
“OzHarvest is committed to the national target of halving food waste in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
“We’re proud to have a partner like BP to support us in this mission.”
