Veronafiere fights food waste with Food for Good

Starting from 2020, any surplus food left over after shows will be donated to charities

Veronafiere joins the fight against food waste in keeping with social sustainability policies implemented by now for many years. As of this year Veronafiere will support the Food for Good project, promoted by Federcongressi&eventi, together with Banco Alimentare and Equoevento Onlus. Consequently, any food left over after large events, trade fairs and conferences will be donated to charities such as family home services, meals for the less well-off and refugee centres.

Food for Good was set in motion in 2015 and since then has collected 140,375 ready-to-eat meals and 7,490 kilos of bread and fruit all over Italy. The project has also been included among the best practices in the Platform created by the European Commission in response to food waste. The European Union Action Plan for the circular economy seeks to halve this kind of waste by 2030.

Maurizio Danese, President of Veronafiere

“Trade fairs and conferences promote culture and innovation and also generate economic benefits for the local area hosting them,” said Maurizio Danese, President of Veronafiere. “Our group is determined to ensure that these events are also an opportunity for solidarity by fighting food waste.”

All self-service points and restaurants in Veronafiere will consign surplus food directly to the charities involved in the project through Banco Alimentare (Food Bank).

An initial trial already took place during the last edition of Fieracavalli and as of this year “Food for Good” will be extended to all the events scheduled at Veronafiere.

“On behalf of Federcongressi&eventi, as well as Banco Alimentare and Equoevento, I wish to thank the management of Veronafiere for joining Food for Good,” said Alessandra Albarelli, President of Federcongressi&eventi. “Choices like this by Veronafiere are fundamental to help the project to grow, develop and demonstrate how the Italian meeting industry is not only increasingly aware of environmental and social sustainability topics but also determined to support them. I hope that other exhibition centres will also follow the example of Veronafiere because unity is strength even in the fight against food waste.”

“Banco Alimentare always seeks to build, intensify and diversify the network of partnerships fighting waste,” said Adele Biondani, President of non-profit organisation Associazione Banco Alimentare del Veneto Onlus. “Collaboration with an international player of the calibre of Veronafiere is yet another approach clearly demonstrating that the dignity of people in need is at the heart of our activities every day of the year.”