Learn to Lead Change in Food Waste Valorisation

Open Education Resources (OERs) for Educators & Food SMEs

The Waste 2 Worth (W2W) e-learning platform offers free, ready-to-use Open Education Resources (OERs) designed to support food educators, trainers, and small to medium food enterprises (SMEs) in navigating & transforming their practices toward sustainability, circularity & innovation.

These resources have been developed to address a pressing need identified as a lack of knowledge & accessible materials for educators and trainers working in the food sector—especially those facing the added complexity of hybrid or online delivery. This course responds directly by combining up-to-date insights with flexible, digital-ready teaching tools.

What will you find?

This comprehensive course includes:

  • A curriculum made up of 12 expert-developed modules forming a suite of multimedia content that works online or in the classroom to help Food SME learners engage with, study & develop solutions for Climate-change problems locally, regionally, nationally and internationally
  • A practical Educator’s guide –  presents the most flexible & impactful innovative pedagogic approaches to waste valorisation/circularity & transversal skills such as active participation & climate action. Focusing on strategies that are appropriate to both in-person, hybrid & digital classrooms, each pedagogy has been carefully reviewed for its potential to engage the relevant students/learners.
  • A Learner’s workbook follows the 12 modules of the Waste 2 Worth course in sequence. It aims to capture the key learnings from our comprehensive  course and reinforce engagement with learners.

What will you explore?

The course brings together essential themes that help shift food systems toward sustainability and circularity. You’ll dive into topics including:

  • Circular economy principles tailored to food systems
  • Smart resource use – from inventory to production efficiency
  • Sustainable sourcing & supplier collaboration
  • Surplus food solutions & waste redirection strategies
  • Technology & innovation to future-proof operations
  • Effective storytelling to engage customers & stakeholders
  • Education strategies to build awareness across teams
  • Compliance, certification & measuring impact

These topics are designed to help educators & SMEs apply practical, future-focused methods that can be implemented immediately—whether in the classroom or on the food production floor.

Who is it for?

  • Vocational (& HEI) Educators & trainers in food or sustainability
  • Food SMEs ready to adapt to a circular economy
  • Community organisations supporting green skills development

Our aim…

To empower educators & SMEs with the tools to take the lead in making food systems more circular, resilient & inclusive—addressing major EU priorities of inclusion, digitalisation & environmental protection.

Our Modules

This module equips SMEs and VET educators in the agri-food sector with the knowledge and tools to minimise waste, harness..
This module explores the concept of Resource Efficiency, focusing on strategies for food businesses to optimise the use of materials,..
This module aims to deepen the concept of sustainability and procurement and will define and explore different strategies for integrating..
This module explores the concept of planning and forecasting food needs, and we study some strategies and tools that help..
In this module we will look at the importance of proper inventory and stock management to fight food waste...
This module aims to help learners understand the concept of food surplus, its types, causes, and its significant role in..
This module focuses on the concept of optimisation and how it can be applied to the food sector in order..
This module will analyse and explore different types of innovations that are applied in the food sector to optimise processes..
The module highlights the importance of education and awareness in food waste business and how to prepare individuals to understand..
This module explores how storytelling can be integrated into marketing to create strong brand identities and drive customer engagement. We..
This module examines the regulatory and certification landscape shaping food waste management and the circular economy. It explores EU and..
The module highlights the importance of evaluation and impact assessments in sustainable food businesses. By systematically assessing waste streams you..

Fondazione Luigi Clerici (FLC)

FLC

Fondazione Luigi Clerici (FLC) (Italy) is a private non-profit VET organization, established in 1972 which operates in Italy with its 30 branches by providing training services for people, companies and social organisations. Its aims are:  contributing to social and professional inclusion in the labour market and promoting training courses according to the current needs of the labour market. FLC has 7 VET centres in which it offers training courses for the catering sector and 2 VET centres in which it offers training courses for the Pastry and Bakery Sector.  Being aware of the huge amounts of food waste, which is being created in Italy and Europe, FLC aims at introducing knowledge and competences about food waste management within its training course. Therefore, W2W is of specific interest.

Sara Radaelli

Sara Radaelli

Key skills: She has experience in the management of European project and has knowledge with regards to the EU environment and its partner organizations. Furthermore, she is responsible for the Erasmus + Mobility Projects.

Nadia Glaeserer - European Project Manager

Key skills: She has experience in the management and implementation of national, international and European projects regarding education, lifelong learning and research. Furthermore, she has experience in designing, organizing and coordinating of training courses and in developing e-learning material for adult learners.

CDEA

CDEA has led the way in vocational training in Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, since 1978 and delivers HOSPITALITY, TOURISM & HEALTH courses in three areas: in-service, initial and adult vocational training. Our broad range of courses brings them into daily contact with the business community which enables them to adapt to the ever-changing skill needs. CDEA aims to contribute to the continuous improvement and development of tourism and hospitality sectors by preparing and training the professionals of the future. 

As a VET provider CDEA recognizes the value of training future leaders in the food sector in their role as changemakers and we strongly encourage innovative thinking. Through the accomplishment of this project we will provide tailored support for four SMEs  partners, stakeholders & regional/agricultural agencies to increase awareness of the impact of the food waste on the environment and economy and on how we can better use food waste to create worth and economic gain.

Irida Tase

Irida Tase

Key skills:  Irida brings to W2W extensive experience in project management and coordination and strong collaboration with Basque food SMEs.

Leire Urkola

Leire Urkola

Key skills:  Teacher of dietetics and kitchen management in CDEA, Leire is an expert in Human nutrition and dietetics, Food science and technology, and has various specialisations in hotel catering, meat and fish industries, food quality and safety.

Savonia University of Applied Sciences

Savonia Logo

Savonia research and development activities follow the principles of sustainable growth. Savonia has five selected focus areas. These focus areas develop solutions and competitiveness of local businesses. We aim at renewing the local economic structure and thus enabling new success stories to be born. Food Industries and Bio & Circular economy are 2 of these areas of focus. They strive to strengthen the vitality of the region and the well-being of food business development via food chain business skills and competences as well as business development and fostering innovation. They support business and society sustainable development by at the heart are bio-based products and material recycling. We help companies to move away from the fossil economy towards the bio economy and low carbon society. Waste 2 Worth is a perfect project to build on this initiative.

Anna-Maria Saarela

Key skills Anna-Maria brings to W2W include extensive experience in project management and coordination and expertise in specialty food retail management for SMEs in Finnish Food Industry

Solja Ryhänen

Solja Ryhänen

Solja brings 20+ years of experience in mobility and international project coordination.

momentum educate + innovate

Momentum is an award-winning Irish educator focused on developing progressive learning programmes (course curriculum and content development) and platforms for education, with a special focus on adult – further education in sustainability & digital skills. Our experienced team helps educators and SMEs respond to the dynamic and changing needs they experience and thus we aim to provide more sustainable employment and futures to adult learners. We train and mentor hundreds per annum and we advise networks and policymakers.

Momentum also has a strong marketing and dissemination division specialising in brand development, content generation, communication strategies, digital media and social media attracting high-profile attention to our programmes. We are very proud of our role in developing the Waste 2 Worth brand that is carried through the project.

Orla Casey

Orla Casey - Managing Director of Momentum

Over the last 20 years, Orla Casey has built up a solid reputation for economic development vision and action, innovative problem solving, transfer of innovation and delivery of game changing projects.

Paula Whyte

Paula Whyte - Project Co-ordinator

Key skills: Paula has over 18 years’ experience in the food sector. Of relevance to this project. Her career has been focused on the agri-food sector and waste reduction. She heads up Momentum’s food team and is motivated by bringing about positive changes via projects aimed at lessening the effects of skills incompetencies & creating a more sustainable future through innovative education.

BIA Innovator Campus

Role in W2W: Lead Partner

Established in 2017, BIA is Ireland’s leading VET body for the food sector, providing incubation and innovation support and mobilising industry collaboration projects. These include climate smart initiatives, inclusion and citizenship projects around food sovereignty and security. As a VET organization, BIA is also an inclusive point of access to powerful food industry knowledge and skills all in one place.

As project manager, BIA will work hard to ensure effective teamwork, encouraging partners to be proactive in communications and contribute meaningfully to all project activities. Coordination and communication will reflect the human centered design approach with an emphasis on agile processes, roadmaps and milestones, in balance with spaces for user insights, reflective listening and exploratory thought that will lead to more creative, innovative and effective outcomes.

Michelle Kelly

Emilia Furey - Project Manager

Key skills Emilia brings to W2W include extensive experience in project management and coordination and expertise in specialty food retail management for SMEs in Irish Food Industry.

Emilia Furey

Michelle Kelly - Project Coordinator

Key skills Michelle brings to this project include experience in coordinating projects for Erasmus+, research and design of education protocols and networking of key stakeholders.