This Ramadan Mashreq & Partners Champion The Cause Of Food Waste

Aim To Raise Awareness Of The Environmental Impact Of 

This problem persists beyond Ramadan, however, which is why Mashreq aims to make Ramadan 2023 a turning point to improve the region's attitude toward responsible food consumption.

To promote this goal at the grassroots level, Mashreq is launching an awareness campaign, 'Share More, Waste Less," to encourage the community to embrace healthier food consumption habits and reinforce these habits for future generations.

Running on broadcast, digital, and social media across the MENA region, including the UAE and Egypt, during the month of Ramadan, the interactive campaign will see Mashreq offer prizes and join forces with celebrity chefs to encourage all members of the community to share tips on reducing food waste and their favorite leftover recipes.

The report further mentioned that Mashreq’s partnership with Ne'ma is aligned with the UAE’s Food Security Strategy and United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 to reduce food waste by 50 percent by 2030, a goal that the UAE is committed to achieving. The ‘Share More, Waste Less’ campaign underscores Mashreq's commitment to social and sustainable principles and protecting future generations by preventing resource depletion and reducing carbon emissions.

Commenting on Mashreq’s Ramadan campaign, Ahmed Abdelaal, Group Chief Executive Officer, Mashreq, said, "As we approach the holy month of Ramadan and look forward to embracing the values of generosity, fervor, and self-reflection, we believe that shedding light on an issue as prevalent and detrimental to our society as food waste is crucial as part of our corporate social responsibility framework.

"Our collaboration with NE'MA, the national food loss and waste initiative, aims to shift, improve, and have a lasting positive impact on the behaviors and attitudes towards food waste and responsible consumption in the communities where we operate, in alignment with our own ESG approach and with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment’s vision for sustainability and food security in the Emirates. We look forward to bringing the community on board and encouraging positive change during this holy time and beyond."

Commenting on the collaboration with Mashreq, His Excellency Ahmed Taleb AlShamsi, as Chief Executive Officer of the Emirates Foundation and "ne’ma" National Steering Committee Deputy, said: "As we approach Ramadan, we witness high levels of over-purchasing and food waste, and the holy month provides us with an opportunity to be more conscious consumers as we continue to strive towards a more sustainable future.

"We applaud Mashreq’s campaign, which will raise awareness on food loss and waste and help spark conversations on best practices across all sectors—on farms, in kitchens, and in homes around the region. We challenge other businesses, organizations, and members of the public to become food loss and waste champions and transform the way we approach this challenge together."

Report elaborates, approximately one-third of the food produced for human consumption each year is wasted or lost. With the agricultural sector accounting for approximately 12% of global emissions, reducing waste could have a significant contribution to a more sustainable world.

Consumers and households can save a lot of food at home by keeping track of what they buy, planning meals and groceries ahead of time, and storing food properly.

Mashreq's "Share More, Waste Less" campaign aims to positively change consumers' attitudes toward food consumption and encourage them to also find ways to reuse surplus food, either by redistributing it to people in poverty or as biodegradable waste, concluded the report.