In the fourth webinar of the CEBDS ReVisão 2050 series, experts point out ways to review production practices and diet quality, and reduce waste throughout the chain

Rio de Janeiro, June 10, 2020 – Sustainability should guide multisectoral collaboration between companies in the food system (agribusiness, nutrition and retail) and the development of new solutions to the main challenges through innovation and science. Among these challenges are the review of production practices and the quality of diets, in addition to a reduction in waste throughout the chain. This is one of the paths pointed out by executives and experts participating in the fourth Webinar of the ReVision 2050 debate series, of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS), which aims to plan and build a vision for the post-pandemic future. The fourth meeting, broadcast live on the CEBDS YouTube channel, raised discussion on issues related to the resilience of the food system in Brazil – from farm to fork – in light of the current Covid-19 pandemic.

“We need an even more systemic view of this topic. That’s why we’re expanding the discussion to the food chain. The pandemic is accelerating emergencies and technology is shortening the distances between the countryside and the city. The traceability of raw materials and production methods is a trend in this context,” said Marina Grossi, president of CEBDS, at the opening of the webinar, adding that, in Brazil, almost 37 million tons of food are wasted annually. “In other words, each person throws away more than 41 kilos of food per year,” she added.

The Assistance Manager of the National Department of SESC, Ana Cristina Corrêa Guedes Barros, also highlighted the need to mitigate losses from production to final consumption. For her, social engagement is one of the ways to achieve this goal. “The corporate social responsibility movement involves a call for all stakeholders to be involved,” stated Ana Cristina.

There are already some initiatives in Brazil to promote greater cooperation between companies in the food system. “Like the Working Group created by CEBDS. We need a 360-degree vision if we really want to achieve the transformation we desire,” said Cristiane Lourenço, Global Leader of Relationships with the Food and Nutrition Chain for Latin America at Bayer, one of the 21 large companies in the food chain participating in the CEBDS Food Working Group.

For Carrefour Brasil's Sustainability Director, Lucio Vicente, for a long time, companies have worked in an individualized and sectoral manner. “Given the complexity of the challenges the world faces today, sectoral unity is very important,” said Vicente. In his view, there is a major challenge in building a new narrative for society. “We need to find ways to tell the 'story' of products to consumers. Increasingly, consumers will demand information about what is behind the products they are buying,” he explained.

In this context, the Director of the Food of Tomorrow Institute, Juliana Medrado Tangari, pointed out that the desired sustainable food system will not be achieved solely through changes in the production process, but especially through changes in consumer behavior. “What is very clear to us is the importance of focusing on adopting sustainable diets. After all, what we eat also changes the world,” she said, highlighting the diversity in different stages of consumption, from purchasing to preparing the food.

According to experts, technology is a viable path to improving transparency in processes from farm to fork. “In 2050, I see a more conscious consumer, increasingly stronger. I also see the chain shortening, with consumers seeking direct and local purchases,” commented Juliana, who also sees potential for development in urban agriculture over the next 30 years.

For Cristiane Lourenço, in 2050, humanity will produce more and better, driven by technology and innovation. “New seeds, biotechnology, crop production to eliminate waste on farms and also to preserve natural resources, among many others,” she exemplified, also highlighting the importance of developing public policies that allow the scale of the transformations underway.

The discussion in this webinar was moderated by CEBDS Technical Development Director, Ricardo Pereira. The ReVisão 2050 project is sponsored by Itaú and Vale, and has the support of ERM, KPMG, SESC and Sitawi.

Upcoming agendas

With the coronavirus crisis, CEBDS is holding discussions among its member companies and multisectoral experts on the resumption of business and long-term planning, revisiting the commitments defined in the document Visão Brasil 2050, launched at Rio+20 in 2012. Webinars are also planned to discuss Energy, Biodiversity and Forests, Circular Economy and Cities, with the aim of thinking about the post-coronavirus future.

The webinars feature the participation of representatives from the third sector and are held every two weeks on Wednesdays, from 8 am to 9:30 am, free of charge and open to the general public.

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ABOUT CEBDS

The Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) is a non-profit civil association that promotes sustainable development through articulation with governments and civil society, in addition to disseminating the most current concepts and practices on the subject. Founded in 1997, it brings together around 60 of the largest business groups in the country, responsible for more than 1 million direct jobs. It represents in Brazil the network of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), which has almost 60 national and regional councils in 36 countries and 22 industrial sectors, in addition to 200 business groups that operate in all continents. More information: https://cebds.org/.

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