Together We Can Stop Hunger

The global food supply consistently produces enough food to feed every single person in the world. And yet, nearly 1 billion people are undernourished and another 1 billion are going hungry every year.

Last month, world leaders met at the United Nations to define the sustainable development agenda through 2030. This is important, because there is tremendous power in coming together across 193 countries to discuss what it takes to build a world we can all live and thrive in.

Today on World Food Day, Sustainable Development Goal #2—End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture—is especially meaningful.

Ending hunger means changing the way we think and act about the world and sustainability. As President of Food Care at Sealed Air, the reality of hunger and the need for a sustainable food chain is always on my mind. We work every day to create smarter packaging, improve our food safety and hygiene practices and provide our customers with innovative packaging that extends the shelf life of food.

We know that food waste is more than a business issue. It’s also a health and food security issue. Each year, 1.3 billion tons of food end up rotting in retail and consumer bins, or spoiling due to poor transportation and harvesting practices. Food waste reduction and food safety are vital to creating a sustainable future.

To solve some of these issues with true solutions and not temporary band aids, we must rely on purposeful innovation and community involvement. From food packaging and storage to supply chain to education, there is tremendous power in what we can achieve and how we can help, when we come together and think outside of the box. At Sealed Air, we are doing this today in the communities we serve through programs like Fresher for Longer and our partnerships in China with the World Wildlife Fund and the China Chain Store and Franchise Association to improve the safety of the poultry supply chain and reduce food waste.

For the past 10 years, our company has also supported the efforts of the U.N. World Food Programme—the world’s largest hunger relief agency—by provided nearly $250,000 to fund the agency’s emergency food operations after natural disasters like Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines in 2013. We also have more than 24,000 Sealed Air employees in more than 60 countries thinking about the food waste problem and working toward a resolution—striving to create a better way of life.

Other companies are thinking about this too. Tyson Foods leads the “KNOW Hunger” campaign to help people understand and join the effort to eliminate hunger in America. Kellogg’s has its Breakfasts for Better Days™ initiative, with a goal to provide 1 billion servings of cereal and snacks to children and families around the world by the end of 2016.

We can’t succeed in ending world hunger if we try to act alone. Making a difference requires a mindset that is capable of seeing value beyond economic impact, and publicizing the issue. Cooperation and innovation are what it will take to preserve our resources and build a sustainable future.

Karl Deily is President of the Food Care Division at Sealed Air.

Since 2005, Sealed Air has been a proud partner of World Food Programme and World Food Program USA.