The Zero Waste – Zero Gap project, led by the Luxembourgish social cooperative on.perfekt, aligns with the priorities of the ESF+ in terms of social inclusion, skills development, and ecological transition. It aims to reduce food waste while strengthening the autonomy and employability of actors in the social and solidarity economy (SSE).

Significant volumes of still-consumable food are discarded, particularly due to misunderstandings surrounding the minimum durability date (MDD). SSE organisations supporting beneficiaries who are distant from the labour market or in socio-economic vulnerability require adapted technical and pedagogical skills.

The project combines practical workshops, vocational training, and train-the-trainer sessions. Two pathways are proposed:
– one for professionals and supervisors, aimed at strengthening their capacity to transfer knowledge;
– one for beneficiaries, focused on practical skills in food processing, hygiene, logistics, surplus valorisation, and labelling.

A multilingual educational toolkit complements the project, enabling partner organisations to independently replicate the training sessions, thereby ensuring transferability and long-term sustainability of outcomes.

The project targets SSE organisations active in the food sector, as well as beneficiaries engaged in social and professional integration pathways. Its objectives are to strengthen skills, facilitate access to training, reduce food waste, and promote harmonised MDD labelling.

The expected impact is social, environmental, and sustainable, with implementation at national level.