Sustainability and
Foodservice: Steps to Consider
Sustainability is without a
doubt one of the most visible buzzwords in society today.
It seems as if you can’t pick
up a newspaper or turn on the TV news without hearing something about
sustainability, the ecology, the environment or climate change.
Yes, sustainability has many
direct benefits for the ecology, society and planet Earth. It also has direct
benefits for all businesses. As I have pointed out in the past, the
World Business Council for Sustainable
Development at the UN anticipates that the SDG windfall could be as high as
$12 trillion a year in the course of the next 12 years.
Consumers, especially educated and affluent millennials,
are very fond of sustainability and are prone to do business with companies
that are visibly sustainable across all 17
Sustainable Development Goals principles.
The New
Jersey Small Business Development Centers devoted the August edition of its
The Small Business Voice to
sustainability and the New Jersey Sustainable
Business Registry. Business owners interviewed confirmed that one of the
reasons for embarking on the path to sustainability was that millennials’ keenness
for sustainability will help grow their sales.
Due to the current near universal focus on
sustainability, industries and companies are investing time and money to
develop their own sustainable course of action. To embark on this path,
businesses don’t need an all-or-nothing approach. The way in which it was
conceived and has developed over the past couple years, taking into account 17
principles, allows businesses to adopt partial, simple steps on their way to
full sustainability.
What’s important is that each business share
with its community, marketplace, officials, vendors and consumers that it is on
the way to sustainability. Share the news.
Consequently, these are exciting and
challenging times for interested businesses and information abounds for
companies in all commercial sectors to participate in this quest.
I’d like to focus on some sustainable suggestions
for restaurants. This foodservice sector is ripe for sustainability because of
its food focus. Recycling, composting, eliminating kitchen waste and equipment &
supplies selections are just a few points to be considered.
There are 18,337 restaurants of all sizes in New
Jersey, according to New Jersey
Restaurant and Hospitality Association and all of them can start this
beneficial trek by fulfilling a few easy requirements to be included in the Sustainable Business Registry. All of
them quality as small businesses and each accepted eatery will receive an appropriate
decal that will announce to patrons and the community that it is “green.”
The writers of a special article on
restaurants and sustainability recently prepared by Georgia-Pacific Professional (GP PRO), a National Restaurant Association member,
pointed out:
“While there is huge interest in
sustainability from both consumers and restaurant operators, it can also be an
investment and an ongoing commitment. Fortunately, everything doesn’t need to
happen at once, and not everything you do has to come at a premium price.
“Sustainability can be as simple as rethinking
how you deliver your food, package your leftovers, handle your food waste, or
dispense products to your guests. The key is committing to an actionable
approach that suits your business, aligns with customer sensitivities and
allows employees to buy in.”
The article proposed five tips for restaurant operators to get started
improving sustainability.
1.
Identify
your sustainability values. Ground your efforts in a consideration of why
you’re committing to sustainability in the first place. Sustainability is a reflection
of management’s brand values. Your restaurant will be identified with
sustainability.
2.
Listen
to your guests. “There
remains a gap between what operators believe their consumers want and what they
actually want,” says Boyd Andrews, director of sustainability for
Georgia-Pacific Professional (GP PRO), citing GP PRO research that looks at
what foodservice customers want in terms of sustainability, and what restaurant
operators offer. “The more operators focus on their values and pay attention to
feedback from their consumers, the more successful they’ll be.” There is also
statistical proof that consumers will patronize your restaurant more if you’re
sustainable.
3.
Commit
to an actionable approach.
Andrews recommends starting small and on the things that are most visible to
guests. “Food is the reason customers come into the restaurant,” he says, “so
most operators are already looking at practical approaches involving food and
food waste.” He also points out other ways operators can communicate their
values. Controlled dispensing of napkins, or one-at-a-time towel dispensers in
your restroom, tells customers you care about both hygiene and waste reduction.
It can communicate what you’re doing without having to say anything.
4.
Be
authentic. “Be
crisp and authentic in how you communicate what you’re doing and why you’re
doing it,” advises Andrews. This can be as simple as the way you describe your
menu offerings. The words you choose tie your restaurant to being part of your
community and part of the solution – and can even demonstrate community
leadership. In other words, share your initiative and promote your
sustainability.
5.
Keep
learning. New options for
restaurant sustainability are emerging constantly, notes Andrews. But if you’re
not looking for them, you won’t learn. “It’s really important to engage with
your suppliers and learn about the exciting new offerings coming on the
market,” he says. “Ask them about food and foodservice packaging that may have
great sustainability stories in terms of production or end of life.” Operators
can also ask the New Jersey Small Business Development Centers’ consultants for
advice and become part of the Sustainable Business Directory.
For further information about
the organizations cited here, visit their websites:
· NJSBDC: https://www.njsbdc.com/
·
NJ Sustainable
Business Registry: http://registry.njsbdc.com/
·
National
Restaurant Association: https://www.restaurant.org/Home
·
New
Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association: https://www.njrha.org/
·
Georgia-Pacific Professional (GP PRO): https://www.gppro.com/
My next blog will look at sustainable restaurant packaging supplies.
If you’d like to access the sustainability edition
of The Small Business Voice, click on this link:
Send me your sustainable success stories and
I’ll share your achievements with others in cyberspace.
Scroll through my blog to
read about more ways to promote yourselves and boost your outreach.
I’d also like to invite you
to visit my Thought Leadership website:
If you’re looking for advice
on recruiting, company handbooks and other human resources topics, I’d like to
suggest to you this interesting website:
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