Photo: Chef Kory Dipucchio, Corporate Executive Chef at Compass Group Canada and a Global Stop Food Waste Day ambassador.
29 April 2026 marks the 10th edition of Stop Food Waste Day, a global day of action founded by Compass Group and now recognised in more than 25 countries worldwide.
Launched in 2017 by Compass Group USA, the initiative has grown into a worldwide movement, bringing together individuals and families, chefs, NGOs, clients and suppliers, and more than 590,000 Compass Group colleagues around a shared commitment to value food and reduce waste.
Over the past nine editions, Stop Food Waste Day has evolved into a powerful platform for education and action. Through the creativity and leadership of Compass Group’s chefs and frontline teams, the campaign has inspired millions to rethink how they consume the food they buy, adopt smarter habits, and take practical steps to waste less, well beyond a single day of awareness.
Despite this progress, food waste remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges facing the foodservice industry. Compass Group continues to embed waste reduction into its everyday operations, achieving an 11% year-on-year reduction in food waste across the Group in FY2025. This progress is driven by:
Over 10,000 sites globally using advanced technology to measure and track food waste, enabling data-driven action and continuous improvement
Smarter menu planning and culinary innovation, helping teams maximise ingredient use and prevent waste before it occurs
Strong partnerships with suppliers and clients to support prevention, redistribution, and responsible reuse
Ongoing community support, including the donation of 3.1 million meals in FY2025
“Stop Food Waste Day started with a simple idea and a bold ambition: to change how people think about food and ensure it is never taken for granted,” said Amy Keister, Founder of Stop Food Waste Day and Global Director of Sustainability at Compass Group. “Its impact comes from collaboration, bringing together NGOs, chefs, food banks, suppliers, clients, and communities around a shared belief that food should be valued. As we mark this 10th edition, we’re calling on everyone to take action by downloading the toolkit, taking the pledge, and sharing the steps they are taking to reduce waste. Small actions, multiplied globally, create real change.”
To learn more, take the pledge, and access resources, visit www.stopfoodwasteday.com and join the conversation on social media using #StopFoodWasteDay.
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Notes to editors
Founded by Compass Group in 2017, Stop Food Waste Day takes place annually on the last Wednesday of April and is recognised globally as a day to educate, inspire, and ignite change on food waste. In 2026, it falls on Wednesday 29 April, marking the campaign’s 10th edition.
Anyone can get involved by:
Downloading the Stop Food Waste Day toolkit and sharing it with colleagues, friends and family
Taking the pledge at stopfoodwasteday.com
Trying simple actions to waste less, using recipes from the Stop Food Waste Day cookbook as inspiration
Sharing your progress on social media using #StopFoodWasteDay
© 2026 Compass Group PLC