Embracing Sustainability in Hospitality: A Guide for all Industry Professionals
Guest written by Chef Liam
As a consultant chef, I’ve witnessed the lively evolution of the hospitality industry over the years. One of today's most pressing and transformative changes is the shift towards sustainability. The hospitality sector, with its vast operations, significantly impacts the environment. Therefore, adopting sustainable practices is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic business move. Why is sustainability essential, and how can we implement simple yet effective measures in the workplace?
The hospitality industry consumes substantial resources and generates considerable waste. By adopting sustainable practices, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint, conserve natural resources, and minimize waste. Sustainable operations often lead to considerable and previously unrealised cost savings through energy efficiency, waste reduction, and water conservation. - these savings can be substantial over time, improving the bottom line.
Today's consumers are more environmentally conscious than ever. They naturally prefer a business that prioritizes sustainability. Demonstrating your commitment to green practices can enhance your brand reputation and attract a loyal customer base.
There are many, many ways a hospitality business can look for sustainable action. It would be easy if we all went out and bought new energy-efficient appliances whenever it suited us, but that wouldn’t be sustainable, let alone affordable or realistic. A great place to start in this area would be to look at your current equipment list, what is the maintenance program like, your to ensure the kitchen equipment is operating efficiently.
For me, as a chef, I believe the best place to start is with what you already have and your current practices. Look at your food waste to identify and address waste points; personally and professionally, I try to minimise everything that goes into the bin. I challenge my team every day to look at what they are doing and how they could do more with every off-cut or ageing stock before dumping it into the bin. And if that’s not your business preference, then at the very least, you can always donate surplus food to local charities or get involved in a local community/council food composting program.
Sourcing ingredients locally and seasonally to reduce the carbon footprint associated with transportation, which in kind supports local farmers and reduces not only your environmental impact but also significantly reduces your food costs. This is not always an option for businesses, but it only has to start with one product or ingredient in the right direction, which may, in the long term, lead to many more. This could be as simple as choosing suppliers who prioritize ethical and sustainable practices. Look for certifications such as Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, and MSC.
Plastic reduction, staff training, guest awareness, this discussion could go on, but unfortunately, I don’t command the powers to be any less. I’m pretty sure we will be talking about this more very soon.
Sustainability in the hospitality industry is no longer optional; it’s a necessity. Implementing simple measures can make a significant and positive impact on the environment whilst also reaping economic benefits and meeting but hopefully exceeding customer expectations.
Till next month