Indonesia, 03 Sep 2021 - Indonesia has a high rate of food waste, producing 121 kilograms of food waste per capita per year. Of the total, 77 kilograms are produced by households, 28 percent by food services, and 16 percent by retail operations. On the other hand, the proportion of Indonesians who are unable to meet their dietary requirements is more than three percent. This gap becomes all the more worrisome when more and more people are in need of food in the midst of the pandemic.

To reduce the negative effects of food waste on the environment, people are encouraged to pay more attention to and manage their leftovers. This is because uneaten food will decompose and rot, releasing methane gas to the environment and triggering global warming. Following are tips for reducing food waste:

• Consume food as needed

 Oftentimes, people make excessive purchases or have more daily food serves than they can eat, leaving the food to waste and in the process causing negative impacts on the environment. Therefore, start eating as needed. A simple way to do it is to consider the needs of our body and to resist the urge to take or buy food just because they look tempting. In so doing, you change your eating habit and reduce per capita food waste.

• Support social enterprises that focus on food waste issues

 In addition to managing personal consumption patterns, supporting social enterprises that focus on food waste issues can also help to prevent the accumulation of food waste in Indonesia. One such instance is Surplus Indonesia, a social enterprise that manages food waste whose mission is to support Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) number 2 (Zero Hunger), number 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and number 13 (Climate Action). Surplus Indonesia collaborates with various food companies in Indonesia to resell the excess food produced by partner companies. These foods are then sold at half the original price. Buyers can choose their own food via the Surplus Indonesia application available on the PlayStore and App Store.

To date, Surplus Indonesia has saved 3,100 portions of food or the equivalent of 478 kilograms, prevented IDR28,500,000 in economic losses that can be caused if the food is wasted, and prevented 16 tons of CO2 emissions if the food waste ends up in Final Disposal Sites (TPA). Thanks to a strong commitment to creating a zero-food waste environment, Surplus Indonesia has reached the semifinals of the selection for DBS Foundation Social Enterprise (SE) Grant 2021. The program, presented by DBS Foundation, is part of DBS Bank Indonesia’s initiatives to help social enterprises obtain grants, access, support, and guidance for building business resilience.

• Share food with others

 Sharing food is one of the best ways to spread the positive impact while reducing the consumption gap in Indonesia. This is crucial, especially during the current pandemic, as people are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of sharing and spreading benefits, not only for themselves but also for others. This can be done by starting to donate prepared meals, groceries, or ready-to-cook foods to people who have done good for others or those in need.

This is exactly the goal of Bank DBS Indonesia and social enterprise Surplus Indonesia. Through the Food Sharing program, Bank DBS Indonesia encourages its employees to donate staple foods and snacks to health workers, ambulance drivers, security officers and self-isolating patients in Cempaka Putih District, Central Jakarta. The program is an appreciation of the efficiency and dedication of health workers and their support teams, as well as the resilience of Covid-19 patients who are struggling to recover. A total of 80 boxes containing snacks, cereals, instant noodles, foodstuffs, boxed milk, powdered drink sachets, and bottled drinks were donated through Surplus Indonesia’s office in Jakarta from 12 July to 2 August 2021, and were distributed at the Cempaka Putih Community Health Center on Friday (3/9). This means Bank DBS Indonesia helped reduce food waste by 439 kilograms.

Through the program, Bank DBS Indonesia is committed to creating a sustainable environment in accordance with its sustainability pillars through partnerships with social enterprises and other organizations. Earlier, Bank DBS Indonesia has distributed 1,003,509 portions of food to people affected by Covid-19.

“As a purpose-driven bank, Bank DBS Indonesia is committed to not only running a business, but also to creating a positive impact on the environment through collaboration with social enterprises that focus on social issues, including food waste. Currently, we are working with Surplus Indonesia to collect food from Bank DBS Indonesia’s employees to be distributed to those in need. In addition, we also initiated the #MakanTanpaSisa movement to invite people to start reducing food waste by changing their daily habits," said Mona Monika, Head of Group Strategic Marketing & Communications, PT Bank DBS Indonesia.

Reducing food waste early on is possible using the above methods. It is never too late to prevent environmental damage and save the Earth. Let's consume food as needed, support social enterprises engaged in food waste issues, and share food with others to create a sustainable environment and community.

 

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