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In celebration of Earth Day 2025, SA Harvest partnered with leading law firm Norton Rose Fulbright to host an interactive, zero-waste cook-off in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Durban, shining a spotlight on how food rescue can address both climate change and hunger.
In alignment with this year’s Earth Day theme, “Our Power, Our Planet”, the event brought together volunteers, rescued food, and community kitchens for a hands-on challenge rooted in sustainability, creativity, and solidarity.
Departing from the traditional soup kitchen model, the Food Factor Challenge was designed to reflect the lived experience of food insecurity – where there is no set menu and meals are created based on what is available. On 25 April, Norton Rose Fulbright staff volunteers were presented with a surprise selection of rescued food and tasked with preparing nutritious meals in teams, without prior knowledge of the ingredients.
With no pre-planned recipes, participants adapted on the spot, supported by Chef Pinky Tshabalala from SA Harvest, who provided guidance on cooking at scale using surplus food. Teams were judged not on taste or presentation, but on spirit, sustainability, and collaboration, highlighting how dignity, resourcefulness, and community are central to food justice.
Judging criteria included the creative use of ingredients with minimal waste (such as reusing peels and stems), team participation (including visible displays of yellow, the colour symbolising impact and unity), and meaningful collaboration with host kitchens. The event emphasised reframing waste as a resource, celebrating active participation over polished outcomes.
Says Ozzy Nel, COO of SA Harvest, “This wasn’t just a cook-off – it was a conversation about how we can all be part of a food system that nourishes people and protects the planet.”
Rescued food, real results
Food waste is a major contributor to climate change. When organic waste is dumped in landfill, it releases methane—a greenhouse gas significantly more potent than carbon dioxide. SA Harvest intervenes in this cycle, rescuing edible food and redirecting it to those who need it.
In 2024, SA Harvest rescued 4.69 million kilograms of food, preventing an estimated 11,728 tonnes of CO₂e emissions. Since 2019, the organisation has rescued more than 20.9 million kilograms, avoiding approximately 52,393 tonnes of emissions through landfill diversion.
Brent Botha, CEO of Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa, said: “We don’t inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children. Supporting SA Harvest and initiatives like Earth Day underscores our broader ESG vision — one that prioritises collaboration and long-term solutions.”
Food for the cook-off was sourced locally from SA Harvest’s rescue operations and varied by location. Ingredients included fresh fruit and vegetables, dry pantry staples, and, depending on availability, occasional bread or dairy items. Meals were cooked and served on-site, allowing volunteers to engage directly with community members.
Hosted at community kitchens across three cities
The events took place at three respected beneficiary kitchens: Basadi Ba Moshito in Lyttleton Manor, Centurion (Johannesburg); Queens Soup Kitchen in Hillary (Durban); and The Service Dining Room (Cape Town). These kitchens provided not just a venue but a welcoming, community-centred space where meals were prepared and shared with dignity.
A blueprint for genuine partnership
This collaboration between SA Harvest and Norton Rose Fulbright modelled a new form of corporate–NGO engagement—one rooted in action and humility. Rather than simply sponsoring the event, Norton Rose Fulbright teams immersed themselves in the experience, working side-by-side with community members to tackle hunger and reduce waste.
“This is what it looks like when private sector players engage not just financially, but physically and meaningfully, in the work of community,” says Nel.
Norton Rose Fulbright’s commitment to environmental and social governance is embedded across all aspects of its operations and service delivery. In South Africa, its sustainability efforts extend from internal office practices—such as energy-efficient infrastructure and secure recycling programmes—to pro bono legal support for environmental and social justice organisations. This holistic approach to ESG recognises the intersection between access to justice, community development, and climate action.
For SA Harvest, grassroots action means listening, acting boldly, and building long-term solutions from the ground up. The Earth Day cook-off reflected this ethos—practical, community-led, and focused on justice, not charity.