03/20/2024
4 min
Sustainability
Fostering a Sustainable Food Model: Local Initiatives Combating Food Waste with Global Impact
At Accor, we are deeply committed to reducing food waste as part of our global sustainability efforts. The hotels across our global network have embraced this commitment, implementing innovative strategies such as creative menu coordination, habit changing and technology-driven measurement.
Tackling Food Waste Head On
Accor has been a pioneer in bringing sustainability to hospitality for more than 30 years, and as a leading player in the industry, the Group recognizes the pressing issue of food waste – which accounted for 53% of the total operational waste of the hotels across our network in 2023. Since 2015, we've been actively engaged in reducing food waste and have integrated this priority into our sustainability strategy. We understand that reducing food waste not only enhances our environmental performance but also strengthens our financial performance as well. In 2023, we deployed a robust methodology, in line with our objective to reduce food waste by 60% by 2030. To achieve this, we've developed guidelines, operational guides and e-learning modules to foster awareness and understanding of measurement methods throughout the teams around the world. We're now working on a third module focused specifically on reduction, ensuring our efforts continue to make a meaningful impact.
On the occasion of the UN’s International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste, we shed a spotlight on the Heartists® on the field that drive significant change in terms of food waste.
Explore three hotels where impactful change is taking root
Pullman Jiaxing Pinghu Excellence: Measuring Food Waste in China
With three restaurants, a 1,500 m² Grand Ballroom and various meeting spaces, the Pullman Jiaxing Pinghu Excellence offers guests diverse food experiences. Managing food waste for more than 238,000 covers annually, however, presents significant challenges. The local team has identified key steps to take, including verifying headcounts before every event, providing to-go boxes so clients can enjoy their leftovers at home and implementing rigorous measurement plans. Initial data review has guided improvement efforts toward their 20% reduction goal by mid-2024. With full leadership engagement, including owner support and team training, they are well on their way towards Accor’s 60% reduction commitment by 2030.
Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate: Changing Habits in the UAE
Over the past five years, the kitchen teams at Novotel Abu Dhabi Gate have been diligently monitoring food waste manually. In 2023, they transitioned to a tech-based measurement tool, Orbisk, for enhanced accuracy and monitoring. The hotel has intensified efforts to reduce waste and successful actions include monthly food waste update emails sent to all teams, portion control and removing unpopular items from menus and buffets, displaying daily food waste counts to raise guest awareness, training new Heartists® on best practices and behaviors, and initiating “No Bin Day” in the team cafeteria. So far, the hotel has reduced food waste by 44%, getting them a step closer to the Group’s collective goal by 2030.
Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel: Getting Creative in the Kitchen in Canada
The kitchens at the Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth Hotel, which serve more than 880,000 covers a year, have infused creativity into their food waste reduction initiatives. For starters, chefs across the property’s seven food and beverage outlets collaborate to synchronize menu items, utilizing the same produce across restaurants but preparing them differently, effectively minimizing waste. Besides adding a creative spin on menu rotation and specials to minimize waste, other initiatives include the use of a food processor, Solucycle, that transforms food waste into Biogas. Through collaborations with local organizations, the hotel sends leftover food to local populations in need, showcasing their commitment to sustainability and community engagement. With these initiatives in place, the hotel has lowered its food waste baseline to 122.5 g per cover ౼ compared to a 300g average across our hotels.
