www.wfp.org
HQ: Rome, Italy
Focal Point: Andy Cole
Email: [email protected]
Internal Sustainability Teams:
- Management Services: 9.5 personnel
- Supply Chain: 7 personnel
- Environmental & Social Safeguards: 4.2 personnel
Mission
The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity, for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.
In 2024, WFP assisted 124 million people, across over 120 countries and territories worldwide.
WFP embraces the vision of the 2030 Agenda for a world freed from hunger by socially equitable and environmentally responsible sustainable development. To reduce the negative impact of its operations on the environment and the people who depend on it, WFP is committed to identifying and managing any harm to the environment, people and communities that its operations might cause; enhancing the environmental and social sustainability of its operations; increasing resource efficiency and minimizing its environmental footprint; strengthening the capacity of partners, including governments; and aligning its operations with international standards and practice.
Field Offices
1,520 premises worldwide (including HQ)
Alignment with the Strategy for Sustainability Management in the United Nations System, 2020-2030
The WFP Environmental and Social Sustainability Framework, promulgated in 2021, was designed to avoid and limit any potential negative impacts that WFP activities may have on the local environments that the communities we assist rely on. The framework is applicable to all programmes and support operations and comprises: a set of environmental and social standards; environmental and social safeguarding tools for programme activities; and an Environmental Management System.
This Framework, along with the commitments outlined in the UN Strategy for Sustainability Management, act as the basis for updating and ongoing development of WFP’s own organisational targets in the agreed environmental impact areas and management functions. In 2025, WFP launched its Environmental Plan of Action 2030 (EPACT), which sets targets to reduce the organization's environmental impact by 2030. Its goal is to reduce WFP’s environmental impacts in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, water usage and pollution, air pollution, and biodiversity degradation by implementing concrete actions across the WFP's operations and support functions, such as supply chain, management services, programmes and technology.
Emission Reduction
WFP has been reporting its global greenhouse gas emissions for the UN Common Boundary since 2008. In 2024, WFP reported 113,435 tCO2e, representing a 4% decrease in absolute emissions from 2023. This also represents a downward trend in relative emissions – from a peak of 1,150 mt of CO2e per million people assisted in 2015 to 915 mt of CO2e per million people assisted in 2024. WFP continues to focus on reducing absolute emissions wherever possible from facilities, vehicle fleets and commercial air travel, against a backdrop of year-on-year increases in the number and scale of emergency humanitarian response operations. In addition to the UN common boundary, WFP also voluntarily reports on emissions from its humanitarian air operations.
EMS and Reduction Efforts
As of December 2025, WFP has launched EMS in 73 country operations and scale up efforts continue. WFP's EMS is complemented by an energy efficiency programme (EEP) to support decarbonization efforts. The EEP covers a percentage of investments in energy efficiency projects and solar PV systems through an internal carbon pricing mechanism on light vehicles and commercial air travel. A dedicated decarbonization fund has also been established to support this work. Recent environmental initiatives include:
• Installation of renewable energy systems in field locations.
• Staff trainings and awareness – In-person EMS trainings, all-staff events on World Environment Day, Earth Day and more.
• Inclusion of environmental sustainability as a responsibility in WFP’s senior management job profiles.
For the 2024 reporting year, WFP’s progress on the EMS is rated as: Approaches.
Water and Wastewater Management
WFP collects data on water use and wastewater disposal since 2017. 68% of WFP country operations provided information for 2024.
- In Venezuela, WFP installed an air conditioning condensate water harvesting system that collects and re-uses water in its office.
- In Mozambique, WFP has been implementing a phased approach to installing water-efficient fixtures across its operations including the installation of dual-flush toilets, metering systems, self-closing faucets, and aerators in offices identified through site assessments.
- All offices implementing Environmental Management Systems are improving their water and wastewater management systems with the goal of more efficient water management.
Waste
Waste management reporting continues to improve with the ongoing scale up of EMS at WFP. Around 51% of country operations report on their waste management practices and/or data. Some good practice examples include:
- In WFP Headquarters in Rome, WFP utilized its on-site electro-mechanical composter to recycle organic food waste from its canteen, including food scraps into 70 tonnes of nutrient-rich compost used for facility gardens and green areas between 2023 to 2025.
- In Ethiopia, WFP established Long-Term Agreements (LTAs) with recycling service providers to process 912,000 kg of waste, freeing up valuable warehouse space and generating USD 185,000 in income for WFP operations as of 2024.
Environmental Training for Personnel
Environmental training courses are available and encouraged for all WFP personnel covering various topics including Environmental Management Systems; environmental and social safeguards; greenhouse gas accounting; waste, and water management and reporting; biodiversity conservation; as well as general information on environmentally responsible behaviour, including the Greening the Blue Tutorial. Additionally, WFP conducts environmental trainings when launching EMS in field locations focused on increasing staff awareness and developing an understanding of sustainable operations management.
Travel
WFP has made great strides in encouraging sustainable travel across the organization. WFP’s Travel Policy references environmental sustainability with the following initiatives listed:
• Inclusion of air travel emissions reduction requirements.
• Promotion of train travel in lieu of air when possible.
• Encouraging the substitution of air travel for online meetings for trainings, conferences, international meetings, and short events.
For the 2024 reporting year, WFP’s status on providing training on environmental sustainability is: Yes, but it is voluntary.