Training Humanitarian

MODULE 4: BEST PRACTICES Understanding Stewardship in Food Donation Stewardship in food donation refers to the responsible and ethical management of relationships with food donors, aimed at maintaining trust, ensuring satisfaction, and fostering long-term partnerships. It involves the careful cultivation of donor relationships through effective communication, transparency, and accountability. Understanding the principles and practices of stewardship is essential for charity organizations engaged in food donation to maximize donor retention and support. Effective stewardship in food donation begins with recognizing the importance of donors and their contributions. Donors play a crucial role in addressing food insecurity and reducing food waste by providing surplus food for redistribution. By acknowledging donors’ generosity and demonstrating appreciation for their support, charity organizations can strengthen relationships and encourage continued engagement. Transparency is a fundamental aspect of stewardship, as donors expect honesty and openness in their interactions with charitable organizations. Providing clear and accurate information about how donated food is used, distributed, and impact communities builds trust and confidence in the organization. Transparency also involves disclosing any challenges or limitations faced by the organization and being proactive in addressing donor concerns. Communication is key to effective stewardship in food donation. Charity organizations must maintain open lines of communication with donors, keeping them informed about the organization’s activities, achievements, and impact. Regular updates, newsletters, and reports help donors stay connected to the mission and feel valued for their contributions. Additionally, prompt and responsive communication to donor inquiries and feedback demonstrates attentiveness and respect for donors’ concerns. Building Trust and Rapport with Donors Building trust and rapport with food donors is essential for fostering strong and enduring relationships. Trust is the foundation of any successful partnership, and charity organizations must work diligently to earn and maintain donors’ trust. Trust is built through consistent actions that demonstrate integrity, reliability, and accountability. Consistency in communication and behavior is crucial for building trust with donors. Charity organizations must deliver on their promises and commitments, ensuring that donated food is handled responsibly and distributed effectively. By consistently meeting expectations and delivering positive outcomes, charity organizations can build confidence and credibility with donors. Transparency is another key component of building trust with donors. Charity organizations should be transparent about their operations, finances, and impact, providing donors with clear and accurate information about how their donations are utilized. Transparency builds trust by demonstrating honesty, openness, and accountability in all aspects of the organization’s activities. Personal connections are essential for building rapport with donors. Charity organizations should take the time to get to know their donors, understand their motivations and preferences, and tailor their stewardship efforts accordingly. Building personal relationships with donors helps to create a sense of connection and loyalty, fostering long-term engagement and support. Providing Value to Donors Providing value to food donors goes beyond simply accepting their donations; it involves offering meaningful benefits and services that enhance the donor experience and demonstrate appreciation for their support. Charity organizations can provide value to donors in various ways, such as by offering logistical support, networking opportunities, and recognition for their contributions. One way to provide value to donors is by offering logistical support to facilitate the donation process. Charity organizations can assist donors with logistics such as transportation, storage, and packaging, making it easier for them to donate surplus food. By alleviating logistical burdens, charity organizations can incentivize and encourage greater participation from donors. Networking opportunities are another valuable benefit that charity organizations can offer to donors. By connecting donors with other like-minded individuals and organizations, charity organizations can help donors expand their networks, build relationships, and collaborate on common goals. Networking opportunities can include events, workshops, and online forums where donors can interact and share ideas. Recognition is an important aspect of providing value to donors. Charity organizations should acknowledge and celebrate donors’ contributions, expressing gratitude for their generosity and recognizing their impact on the organization’s mission. Recognition can take various forms, such as public acknowledgments, awards, and personalized thank-you notes, tailored to donors’ preferences and preferences. Public recognition is an effective way to appreciate donors. Charity organizations can publicly acknowledge donors’ contributions through various channels, such as social media, newsletters, and annual reports. Highlighting donors’ support and showcasing the impact of their contributions helps to raise awareness and inspire others to get involved, while also providing donors with a sense of pride and recognition. Engaging Donors in the Mission Engaging donors in the mission of the organization is essential for fostering a sense of ownership, connection, and commitment. Donors want to feel connected to the causes they support and understand how their contributions are making a difference. Charity organizations can engage donors in the mission through various activities and initiatives that involve them in the organization’s work and impact. One way to engage donors in the mission is by involving them in volunteer activities and events. Charity organizations can invite donors to participate in volunteer opportunities such as food distribution, community events, and fundraising campaigns. By volunteering alongside staff and other supporters, donors gain firsthand experience of the organization’s work and impact, deepening their connection and commitment to the mission. Another way to engage donors in the mission is through storytelling and impact reporting. Charity organizations can share stories, testimonials, and success stories that illustrate the impact of their work and demonstrate the difference donors’ contributions are making. By showcasing real-life examples of how donations are helping individuals and communities, charity organizations can inspire donors and reinforce their connection to the mission. Evaluating and Improving Stewardship Efforts Evaluating and improving stewardship efforts is essential for ensuring that charity organizations effectively engage and retain food donors. By regularly assessing the effectiveness of stewardship initiatives and soliciting feedback from donors, charity organizations can identify areas for improvement and implement strategies to enhance donor satisfaction and retention. One method for evaluating stewardship efforts is to measure donor satisfaction and retention rates. Charity organizations can survey donors to assess their level of satisfaction with stewardship practices and identify areas where improvements are needed. Tracking donor retention

MODULE 3: COMMUNITY OF DONORS How to build and expand the donors and charity network An effective method of managing surplus food involves redistributing it to charity organizations or food banks. Following prevention, the most favorable choice in the food waste hierarchy is repurposing surplus food for human consumption. According to Eisenhandler and Tzur (2019), food banks are facilities like warehouses or depots utilized by organizations such as food pantries, community kitchens, or shelters to offer food aid to those experiencing food insecurity. The objective of a Food Bank or other Humanitarian Organizations is to assign value to food that would otherwise end up in landfills, despite being safe and nutritious for human consumption. In addition to their primary aim of aiding those in need, they also contribute to ecological preservation by reducing waste, which has significant environmental repercussions. These organizations typically depend on suppliers such as food companies and other contributors, functioning essentially as wholesalers. Some of their key beneficiaries and stakeholders include: Families, children, and youth organizations, addiction treatment centers, religious shelters, labour unions, and similar groups. Food producers, distributors, supermarkets, wholesalers, warehouses, retailers, transportation firms, financial institutions, advertising and communication agencies, public entities, as well as a variety of national and international organizations. Food collection is not a new fundraising concept, but it serves as a cornerstone for food banks worldwide. Neglecting the initial step of food collection can result in a significant loss of donations. Food banks or other humanitarian organizations can approach local restaurants, cafes, resorts, and other establishments for food donations. Achieving a higher donation rate often requires visiting these locations in person, when feasible, and explaining the purpose of the food bank. Inquire if they have surplus food nearing expiration that they could donate instead of discarding. Many establishments are willing to donate such items. Steps to Create or Expand Your Donor Network Identify your ideal food-donors: To start growing your donor network, figure out who your ideal donors are. These are the people most likely to support your cause and share your values. It is possible to use social media, email, cold calling or door-to-door techniques in order to create your donor network. Use tools like surveys, social media, or donor databases to gather information about your current donors and potential supporters. Then, tailor your speeches or messages to meet their needs. Extend your influence: The next step to grow your donor network is to increase your outreach and visibility. Find ways to connect with potential donors who may not know about your startup or cause yet. You can use various methods like referrals, events, media, partnerships, online platforms, or direct mail. Also, involve your existing donors and supporters to spread the word. Be strategic and creative in your outreach, offering value and relevance to your prospects. Aim to catch their interest and invite them to learn more about your startup or cause. Interact with your potential supporters: The next stage in expanding your donor network involves actively involving your potential supporters and guiding them through the donor journey. It’s important to establish trust and connection with them while demonstrating the impact of their support. Utilize a variety of methods and strategies to engage your prospects, including email, phone calls, social media, webinars, newsletters, and storytelling. Offer valuable and compelling content that informs, motivates, and encourages them to get involved. Personalize your communication to make it more interactive and responsive, and be attentive to their feedback, questions, concerns, and objections. ” Ask for the gift ”: The next step in expanding your donor network is to request donations. This is when you directly and clearly ask your prospects for their support. Be confident and persuasive in your request, explaining how their donation will make a difference. It’s important to be respectful and adaptable, providing various options and benefits for different donation levels. Make the giving process simple and convenient, and express gratitude for their generosity and dedication. Keep your donors engaged: The next step in expanding your donor network is to keep your donors coming back and becoming loyal supporters. It’s crucial to nurture and care for your relationships with them, showing how much you value their support. Use different methods like thanking them, asking for feedback, giving updates, hosting events, or conducting surveys to retain your donors. Offer them relevant and timely information that highlights the impact of their contributions. Encourage their participation and invite them to be part of your community. Some donors prefer to stay engaged and actively participate in their cause. When a donor becomes more invested, this connection can be nurtured and one long-term partnership can be developed. By highlighting their involvement, it is feasible to attract more supporters to join the food donor network. Increase your network: The last step in expanding your donor network is to broaden your connections. This involves using your current donors and supporters to bring in new ones. You can motivate them to refer, introduce, or invite others to join your cause. Additionally, utilize tools and platforms that allow your supporters to share or food-raise for your organization. Recognize and appreciate your donors and supporters for their efforts, fostering a culture of generosity and expansion. Limited resources, increasing food aid demand, and competition affect the demand network. Surplus food (SF) availability is crucial for transactions, yet specifics are uncertain until the internal ‘sell-by’ date. The supply side needs low redistribution costs and has various SF management options. Regular SF availability strengthens ties, but sporadic surplus demands flexibility and coordination for recovery. Supply regularity hinders relationship development, leading to both regular and sporadic ties. To boost SF recovery, new connections and existing relationships need enhancement (Sundgren, 2022). Food aid groups build trust by meeting donors’ expectations. This mirrors alliances in business where credibility matters. Strong relationships involve consistency, fairness, and close involvement, but knowledge gaps exist among supply chain management (SCM) professionals about food waste hierarchy and redistribution. Educating SCM professionals can help, as food waste occurs at all supply chain

MODULE 2: FOOD SAFETY Safety Aspects during the Redistribution of Food for Charity Organizations Food safety involves rules of hygiene in the production, processing, retail and control of food of plant or animal origin, that insure the hygienic propriety of food, including the rules of informing the consumers. All actors in the supply chain, from the participants in the production process, distribution, warehousing, retail objects and delivery to the consumers, are obliged to respect the legal regulations and directives in the field of food safety. Consideration of food safety from the industry to the market includes aspects such as food origin, labeling practices, hygienic standards, additives, pesticide residues, biotechnological policy and legal regulations for import-export and food certification. On the other hand, practices from market to consumer give priority to ensuring food safety at marketplaces and during the preparation of food for consumers. Chapter 12 in the EU Acquis, the sum of mutual rights and obligations for all EU members, includes detailed rules in the field of food safety, veterinarian and phytosanitary policies. General policy on food products prescribes hygienic rules for the production of food products (https://europa.rs). Analysis of rules and regulations on food safety that apply to food donation In EU countries, due to the application of numerous regulations, directives and documents based on recommendations and guidelines, food safety is handled from the production through processing to distribution and consumption (Table 1). Regulation is a binding legal act, and directive is a legal act, whose goals must be achieved, where EU member states have the freedom to choose the appropriate form (law, legal by law), that will enable them to realize the goals set. Continuous care about this food aspect, protects the public health, ensures consumer trust, and allows for easier movement of health-safe food inside the unique market of the European union. Aside from the EU guidelines, member states have their own national legislation and guidelines that define the existing legislations and directives on food safety more closely. Table 1. Legal acts and guidelines on food safety Regulations Descriptions EU Regulation No 852/2004 Regulation determines general hygienic requests for food producers, including the aspect of food donation (space, equipment, personal hygiene, training, and documentation). EU Regulation No 853/2004 Regulation determines special hygienic rules for producers of food from animal sources (meat, dairy and fish) and at the same time ensures that donated food of animal origin fulfills the safety standards. EU Regulation No 178/2002 Regulation determines general principles and regulations including food safety and traceability, as well as those of food intended for donation. This regulation highlights the responsibility of business entities that handle food to provide hygienically  safe food to the market, including donated food. EU Regulation 2019/828 The goal of regulation is to encourage food donation and minimize food disposal with clarification of provisions about responsibility for food donation. Regulation offers legal protection to food donors, highlighting the increase of donations by minimizing legal risks for donors. EU Directive 2000/13/EC Directive regulates food labeling and ensures full disclosure of ingredients, allergens, nutritional contents and shelf-life of food products. Correct labeling ensures good practice of food donation. EU Directive 2002/99/EC Directive determines requests for health of animals used for production, and placement of products from animal sources on the market, that are intended for human consumption. EU Food Donation Guidelines 2017/C 361/01 EU provides guidelines and recommendations for adequate food donation (food handling, warehousing, transport and communication in the donation chain) in accordance with the good donation practices of the EU countries). EU Food Law Guidance Guidelines of the European commission on different aspects of the EU food law, including safety (labeling, traceability and management system). EFSA Guidance Scientific opinions, guidelines and risk assessments of the European food safety agency (EFSA) in the field of food safety with the goal to support EU institutions and member states in making decisions. Codex Alimentarius Guidelines Guidelines for the application of Codex Alimentarius of the internationally recognized standards, guidelines and other recommendations related to food, production of food and food safety so that the EU could ensure food safety and encourage socially responsible behavior in trade. Food donation Redistribution of surplus food that is generated in any stage of the chain of food production and distribution, is conducted without compensation, through direct donation to the socially vulnerable persons, or through food banks that act as mediators between donors, charity organizations and end users. Donated food can be fresh food (meat, fruit and vegetables), prepared food/meal, partially prepared or frozen food. Donors are subjects in the food business, physical or legal entities, who donate surplus food from any stage of the food supply chain (production, retail, preparation and delivery of prepared food, HoReCa). Intermediary in the food donation chain is a non-profit physical or legal entity, i.e. charity organization (social supermarkets, public kitchens) enrolled in the appropriate Register of intermediaries in food donation. End users of donated food can be socially vulnerable persons, persons who are victims of a natural disaster, non-profit legal subjects that offer services of accommodation and/or food to their proteges (Picture 1). Food banks play an important role in the donation, as non-profit organizations that collect, store and distribute surplus food that is still safe for consumption. The first food bank was established in Arizona (USA) in 1967, and the first one in Europe was founded in France in 1984. Nowadays, in European countries there are national federations of food banks. In the EU, national banks are networked and they form the European Food Banks Federation – FEBA (European Food Banks Federation) with headquarters in Brussels since 2018  (https://food.ec.europa.eu). In 2018, FEBA network counted 421 food banks from 24 countries with 31.700 charity employees, out of which 85% were volunteers. Placement of food on the market is also considered as donation, which requires adequate application of legal rules in this field. Food donor is responsible for the hygienic safety of food until the moment the food is taken over by the intermediary in the donation

MODUL 1: FOOD SURPLUS Past practices and habits in the production and consumption of food have resulted in large amounts of food waste. Worldwide, up to a third of the food produced is thrown away. For this reason, food waste is considered one of the most important problems that need to be solved in order to achieve sustainability in food production and consumption. Food surpluses occur at every point along the food supply chain, from farm to fork, and are described as the quantity, availability, and nutritional requirements of food that exceed the real demand for food. The resulting surplus of food usually becomes food waste, which has been recognised as one of the global problems of our time, as shown in Figure1. Redistributing food surplus improves the availability of food for those who have difficulty accessing nutritious meals, leading to improved health and wellbeing and reducing food waste. Collaboration between food producers, distributors, retailers, consumers and humanitarian organizations improves the efficiency and organization of the food supply chain. Such partnerships promote innovative approaches to using and redistributing food surplus, optimizing resource use and minimizing food waste. Establishing such links improves the overall efficiency (utilization) of resources within the food supply chain. Tackling the problem of redistributing food surplus requires a holistic approach and the cooperation of all stakeholders within the food supply chain. The problem is the complexity of the whole process, as it is not possible to accurately predict the amount of surplus food that will be produced. By identifying businesses that have surplus food, it is possible to create targeted plans for the recovery of surplus food, redistribution and reduction of waste. The management of donated food is very important to ensure efficient distribution and the reduction of waste. Partnerships with food banks, charities and other relevant organizations are essential for effective coordination. In addition, the company/organisation should establish standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the handling, storage and distribution of donated food and implement robust mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the quantity, quality and use of donated food. Finally, an assessment of the impact of reducing food waste and the efficiency of the process of distributing donated food should be carried out. The most common reasons for food surplus in meal preparation are overproduction, miscalculation, quality control and human error. The above factors point to deficiencies in planning, coordination and accuracy in meal preparation. Proper meal planning can therefore significantly reduce the occurrence of food surplus. Food surplus should be categorized by type, e.g. fruit, vegetables, dairy products, cereals or ready meals. This categorization helps to better understand the nature of food surpluses and facilitates targeted redistribution. The most common types of surplus food from the Ho.Re.Ca. sectors, supermarkets and other food chains are: perishable food, non-perishable food, ready meals, bakery products, surplus ingredients and surplus stock. A systematic method of identifying, communicating purpose, and selecting the company is used to successfully engage companies that have surplus food and are willing and able to contribute to food surplus redistribution activities. This collaborative strategy helps build a strong network of surplus food businesses and ensures a more equitable, sustainable and waste-free food system while reducing hunger and helping to protect the environment. The responsibility for identifying companies that have surplus food in the Ho.Re.Ca. sector, supermarkets and food chains usually lies with charities, food banks, non-profit government organizations (NGOs) or other actors involved in food recovery and redistribution. One of the most important factors in selecting companies that have surplus food available is compliance with strict food safety and hygiene regulations to ensure the quality and safety of the donated food. Transparency is also required regarding the manufacturing processes, the origin of the ingredients and the additives and preservatives used. To ensure the safety and acceptability of donated food, it is crucial to identify and map the quality criteria for surplus food from the Ho.Re.Ca. sector, supermarkets and other food chains. By implementing robust processes to identify and record quality parameters, charities, food banks and non-governmental organisations can ensure that surplus food from the Ho.Re.Ca. sector, supermarkets and other food chains meet the required safety and quality standards for redistribution to those in need. Food safety is fundamental to its quality and was introduced as a term to increase consumer confidence in the food they consume. It refers to the conditions and procedures for handling, preparing and storing food in a way that prevents its contamination and thus reduces the possibility of foodborne illness. Moving beyond food security through the pursuit of food security, which refers to the need for all people to have access to food. At the World Economic Forum on Nutrition in Rome in 1996, it was concluded that food security is achieved when all people at all times have sufficient quantities of safe and nutritious food to meet their nutritional needs and lead active and healthy lives. Food is considered safe for human consumption if it has no adverse effects on human health when consumed as intended. The first step is to develop comprehensive quality guidelines that describe specific parameters for assessing the quality of surplus food. Important factors include appearance, texture, odour, taste, package integrity, expiration date and any legal requirements. The creation of quality guidelines requires collaboration with food safety experts, regulators and sector/industry stakeholders to establish robust and relevant quality parameters. To protect the interests of consumers and ensure the best possible information, various mechanisms are used, such as legal regulations, frequent controls, clearer food labeling, and the introduction of an insurance system, all with the aim of improving food quality. Quality assurance and food safety systems can be mandatory (e.g. HACCP – Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) or voluntary (ISO 22000 – International Organization for Standardization, IFS – International Food Standard and BRC – British Retail Consortium). HACCP is an internationally binding, systematic method for identifying, assessing and controlling food hazards that is integrated into all other food quality and safety systems. The ISO 22000 series of standards

Introduction to the ReS-Food Training Course for Humanitarian Organisations Humanitarian Organisations are a significant factor in food donation, and it is crucial people involved in these organisations to be fully informed about food waste. This part of the educational material is specially designed for professionals and volunteers these organisations who are committed to reducing food waste through the rescue of surplus food. Readers will learn about key areas such as food surplus management, food safety, and the role of community of donors. The Modules cover essential factors for quality management in non-profit organisations, including food safety standards and logistics, as well as the analysis of relevant rules and regulations. Additionally, these Modules aim to equip those involved in humanitarian organisations with the necessary tools to more easily approach and collaborate with businesses that have surplus food, preventing it from becoming food waste. It also addresses the challenges faced by charity organisations in food donation and provides strategies to overcome these obstacles. Practical examples and innovative campaigns like “Save the ‘ugly’ food” and “Drop the change” will inspire creative solutions for reducing food waste. By the end of this sector, readers will be equipped with the knowledge and tools to manage surplus food and promote sustainable practices.