‘Cartons for Good’ programme alleviates hunger

City Desk :

The SIG Way Beyond Good Foundation has launched the Cartons for Good (CFG) initiative as a sustainable solution to alleviate hunger and combat food waste.
As a part of this programme, the foundation sought to provide nutritious meals to people belonging to the underprivileged section of society, create more job opportunities, and reduce food waste, according to a press release, reports UNB.
The initiative’s mission is to “pack meals with purpose” safely and sustainably, leveraging SIG’s unique filling technology. The CFG meals are packed in SIG carton packaging that is designed to be fully recyclable and can last up to nine months without refrigeration or preservatives. The meals are distributed daily to pupils in schools for underprivileged families. After use, the empty packs are repurposed into new products using local recycling solutions, it said.
“At SIG, we are aware of the nutritional challenges being faced across the globe, including malnourishment, food loss, challenging infrastructures, and uncertainties around harvest time. We are proud of what we have achieved with our CFG pilot project. Now, it’s time to elevate our aspirations for CFG and welcome ambitious new partners on board to successfully provide more nutritious, shelf-stable food in a safe, sustainable, and affordable way,” said Samuel Sigrist, CEO of SIG and chairman of the Board of Trustees of the SIG Way Beyond Good Foundation.
The foundation sources vegetables and food products directly from farmers who are unable to sell all of their produce due to a seasonal surplus. They purchase produce that would otherwise go to waste and use it to prepare nutritious meals locally. Their aim is to create job opportunities, fairly compensate farmers, and reduce food waste, said the release.
“Through this initiative, we aim to provide nutritious meals to the underprivileged, create employment opportunities, and combat food waste with innovation in Bangladesh. The SIG Foundation is committed to a future where no one goes to bed hungry, and our Cartons for Good initiative is an innovative contribution to this vision,” said Khan Zubair Symon, SIG country manager in Bangladesh. The pilot project Cartons for Good (CFG) was launched by the SIG Foundation in 2019 in Bangladesh, where 15.2% of the population is considered undernourished.