- The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) leverages Microsoft Sustainability Manager to reduce emissions and optimize operations across 778 community food banks.
- Reliable emissions data improves donor engagement and strategic decision-making.
- GFN aims to expand data tracking globally, enhancing food access for 50 million people by 2030.
The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) faced a critical challenge: manual data reporting was consuming valuable resources, limiting their ability to scale operations and attract donors.
To address this, GFN implemented Microsoft Sustainability Manager to streamline sustainability efforts and measure progress across four key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Zero Hunger, Climate Action, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Decent Work and Economic Growth.
Reducing Waste, Expanding Impact The connection between food redistribution and methane reduction is clear for GFN’s 778 community food banks in 54 countries. Each food redistribution effort lowers landfill waste and mitigates methane emissions.
“Our food banks have limited resources and often have to choose between hiring a social worker, buying a truck, or collecting data,” says Ana Catalina Suárez Peña, Strategic Innovation Senior Director at GFN.
Microsoft Sustainability Manager simplifies data collection and reporting, enabling food banks to quantify their environmental impact and scale their services. The platform’s integration into GFN’s global network ensures ease of adoption across culturally diverse regions.
Related Article: Nestlé Partners with The Global FoodBanking Network to Strengthen Food Access Support
Partnering for Progress GFN partnered with World Wide Technology to customize Microsoft’s platform, enabling more accurate reporting on avoided methane emissions. The Banco de Alimentos Quito in Ecuador piloted the program, serving 85,000 to 90,000 people monthly across 95 community organizations.
“Using Sustainability Manager, we can monitor our operations monthly and make necessary adjustments to improve efficiency,” explains Alicia Guevara, founder and professor at Escuela Politécnica Nacional. “We identified inefficiencies in our refrigeration system and improved processes to reduce our carbon footprint.”
By automating data management, Banco de Alimentos Quito’s staff shifted focus to strategic initiatives, demonstrating how streamlined processes can amplify community impact.
Boosting Transparency and Donor Engagement With reliable, auditable data, GFN can provide transparent reports to stakeholders, reinforcing its environmental and social contributions.
“The data collected with Sustainability Manager provides a clear picture of our impact,” Suárez Peña states. “This transparency is crucial for engaging with donors, governments, and other partners.” In Ecuador, government officials are now considering food banking in their methane reduction plans, influenced by GFN’s data-driven insights.
In 2023, GFN’s food banks recovered 654 million kilograms of food, preventing 1.8 million metric tons of CO2e emissions. The organization aims to enhance food access for 50 million people by 2030.
“With Microsoft’s help, we’re working towards a more sustainable and compassionate world,” Suárez Peña concludes.
By expanding the adoption of Sustainability Manager to Latin America, Africa, and Asia, GFN is reinforcing its commitment to data-backed sustainability and community support.
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