Several of the world’s largest food retailers have signed on to a new initiative in the fight against food waste.

Called 10x20x30, the initiative brings together 10 of the world’s biggest food retailers and providers to engage with 20 of their priority suppliers to halve rates of food waste by 2030.

This private sector commitment is designed to be a significant advancement toward the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 12.3.

The initiative's founding partners are AEON, Ahold Delhaize, IKEA Food, Kroger, METRO AG, Pick n Pay, The Savola Group, Sodexo, Tesco, and Walmart.

Participants include five of the 10 largest food retailers in the world, the world’s second-largest foodservice provider, and leading food retailers in regions such as southern Africa and the Middle East. Combined, participants operate in more than 80 countries.

10x20x30 was publicly announced at the annual food loss and waste event hosted by Champions 12.3, a voluntary coalition of executives from business, government and civil society.

“Food loss and waste is a massive global challenge. While addressing this challenge is a priority for us, 10x20x30 is built on the fact that no one company can address this challenge alone,” said Laura Phillips, senior vice president of Sustainability for Walmart Inc.

“With 10x20x30, retailers work to reduce in-store food loss and waste as well as support their upstream suppliers to reduce their own loss and waste.”

“The latest research from Champions 12.3 is clear – we need to see more companies targeting, measuring and acting on food waste and publishing food waste data if the world is to deliver Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 and halve food waste by 2030,” said Dave Lewis, chair of Champions 12.3 and group CEO of Tesco.

“10x20x30 is a clear opportunity for companies to work in partnership with hundreds of food suppliers to tackle food waste from farm to fork.”