The National Restaurant Association has released its first-ever sustainability report, which looks at environmentally-stable trends and initiatives within the restaurant industry.
The report focuses on the industry’s efforts to reduce waste and conserve resources through practices including composting, recycling, energy and water efficiency, and food donations.
Called “Shedding Light on Sustainability”, the report can be downloaded here for free.
“Sustainability and waste reduction are increasingly important issues across the restaurant and foodservice industry,” said Scott DeFife, the NRA’s executive vice president of policy and government affairs. “We have seen incorporation of environmentally friendly business practices from large chains to independent operators, as well as manufacturers and other supply chain partners. The National Restaurant Association is working to ensure operators have access to the education, tools and training needed to adopt successful and cost-effective sustainability best practices into their business models.”
“This is the first sustainability report the Association has produced,” said Clarice Turner, senior vice president of U.S. Business for Starbucks Coffee Co. and chair of the NRA’s Sustainability and Social Responsibility Committee. “It is a landmark document and we’re proud of the work that went into it. It outlines the Association’s sustainability goals and allows us to continue to tell this complex and important story. The report is a key piece of a comprehensive effort to demonstrate the ways in which NRA is being proactive and leading as a business association on sustainability issues.”
Additionally, the NRA, in support of the restaurant industry’s commitment to practicing environmental sustainability, is offering its Conserve Sustainability Education Program as a member benefit, at no charge. The program – designed by the restaurant industry for the restaurant industry – provides online tools and resources to successfully implement environmental practices, as well as a roadmap to help navigate efficiency and waste reduction.
“With the help and support of some key leaders in our industry, we’ve created the Conserve Sustainability Education Program, which emphasizes education and makes the business case for sustainability,” DeFife said. “Understanding what goes on in the back of the house – from the appliances you cook with to your energy and water use, packaging, management process and even organics collection techniques – has a big, potential, positive impact on the average restaurant’s budget.”
CSEP features industry-tried best practices, educational videos by industry experts, money-saving techniques and a personalized action plan for operators.
The NRA’s sustainability report comes on the heels of the Association’s just-announced Conserve Sustainability Advisory Council, which brings together some of today’s top corporate sustainability leaders to help advise on the Conserve Initiative.
For more information on the report and Conserve, visit Restaurant.org/Conserve.
Source: National Restaurant Association