OzHarvest: 2021 Winner – Waste reduction and the circular economy

Last updated: 8 August 2023
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three children and one adult wearing yellow aprons. The first girl is holding a black spatula, the boy is holding a red mixing spoon, the third child and the adult female are holding bananas. OzHarvest is the Industry Leader award winner in the Premier's Sustainability Awards 2021 – Waste reduction and the circular economy category.

Food Rescue & Redistribution

OzHarvest is a not-for-profit, for-impact organisation, rescuing surplus food that would otherwise go to waste from restaurants, retailers, food outlets, and corporate kitchens, delivering quality food to charitable agencies to feed vulnerable Australians in need.

This program combines an industry waste problem, and waste reduction approach while achieving social and health benefits for the vulnerable. Each month, the Food Rescue Program provides vital nourishment to over 50,000 food-insecure Victorians, significantly contributing to increased community health. In 2020, OzHarvest rescued over 1.31 million kilograms of excess food from going to landfill.

Working with more than 150 charities in Victoria, OzHarvest rescue surplus food from 457 food businesses, and deliver close to 4 million meals to local charities across Melbourne in 2020.

As Australia’s leading food rescue organisation, OzHarvest strives to create culture change for sustainable consumption and increased community adaptability. Their goal is to advocate, inspire and influence others to halve food waste by 2030.

OzHarvest recognises that Education is crucial to enable positive change and aims to increase its efficiency and education surrounding food waste with agencies and donors alike.

Waste reduction and the circular economy 2021 finalists