Since the beginning of the initiative to support food banks IFCO SYSTEMS, the market leader of reusable packaging solutions, has donated over 200,000 RPCs (Reusable Plastic Container) to the food banks.
Wolfgang Orgeldinger, CEO of the IFCO Systems Group states: “Food banks make an excellent contribution to supply food to people in need in many countries of the world. In addition, with their work they avoid that good food is wasted, by not letting it end up in the garbage bin.”
IFCO supplies the food banks with free reusable crates for the distribution of food, furthermore IFCO employees do voluntary work and IFCO supports co-financiering of refrigerated vans. “We strongly believe in the food bank activities, and our products and services can be optimally used by the food banks, helping them with their work. Therefore we concentrate all our social activities on the food banks and we give support to food banks in all countries where we are active,” continues Orgeldinger.
The support to the food banks was extensive in 2015. Different IFCO divisions in several countries did their part to support food banks in their areas:
The amount of food banks already supported by the company was expanded with 20 more food banks, they receive RPCs to organize the food bank processes, as well as reduce or even avoid costs. And the cooperation with the Bundesverband Deutsche Tafel e.V. (Federal Association of German Food Banks) resulted in the purchase of four new refrigerated vans.
In Austria a new refrigerated van was co-financed and handed over to the General Manager of the Viennese food bank, Dr. Alexandra Gruber in October of 2015.
IFCO France Regular supported the Banque Alimentaire (www.banquealimentaire.org) with regular donations of RPCs. Furthermore, the support existed with assistance of the annual national campaign of the Banque Alimentaire in big supermarkets to collect donated food. Humanitarian organizations or charities then distribute that food to people in need. In 2015 the entire IFCO France team helped to collect food donations in a supermarket. Within two days, the employees successfully collected 2,630 metric tons (approximately 5,260 meals). This is about 13% more than last year’s collection.
IFCO Italy supported the Banco Alimentare with food vouchers for those who needed them. This donation was made possible by IFCO Italy customers who accepted their Christmas greetings by email instead of printed cards. And the customers were also invited to donate to the Banco Alimentare themselves.
In 2015 IFCO UK has intensified its cooperation with the Trussell Trust with the objective of increasing the use of RPCs in their network. A total of 15,000 new RPCs were donated and with those Trussell Trust managed to reduce its waste and more efficiently use the storage space. Since the beginning of the cooperation a total of 40,000 RPCs were donated.
Furthermore IFCO UK supports the Trust by financing refrigerated vans for food banks, for instance a Mercedes Sprinter for the Brent food bank, participating in the yearly Christmas campaign of the Tower Hamlets food bank, and helping with the preparation and distribution of Christmas baskets to people in need.
In South America the employees of IFCO Brazil continued their regular support to Ong Banco de Alimentos (www.bancodealimentos.org.br). And about 650 RPCs were donated.
IFCO Spain supported the food banks in Madrid, Huelva und Asturias with donations of RPCs. In the same manner IFCO North America continued to support food banks in the form of RPCs, and with money and donations in 2015.
“From our point of view, food banks make very important contributions to support people in need all over the world. And therefore IFCO will continue the successful cooperation with the food banks in 2016,” says Orgeldinger.
