Article

6 practices of a 'really, truly, green restaurant'

Chains have taken on a Greener Corporate Responsibility clause.

October 29, 2015 by Cherryh Cansler — Editor, FastCasual.com

By Baljit Singh, Deal Highway

Ever been to a new restaurant, high on culinary showmanship, and wondered how big its carbon footprint is? That line of thought takes away a lot from the enjoyment of a meal, doesn’t it?

Well, as in on cue, a new focus is emerging within the fast food industry. Chains of fast food restaurants are becoming more Earth-Friendly. They have taken on a Greener Corporate Responsibility clause.

These are some of the key trends recently seen in the fast food industry:

Corporate leadership on sustainability

Sustainability is becoming a core corporate function, across the board. It elicits a commitment from the management to drive sustainability goals across the entire organization. In this category, leaders are investing time and money towards the development of environmental policies and creating stakeholder partnerships to achieve these sustainability goals. 

Reduce carbon footprint

More companies are setting targets to reduce their carbon footprint in this sector. They are working closely with suppliers to drive the set Carbon Footprint targets. More recycled fiber and managing forests more responsibly can have a significant impact on a company’s carbon footprint. Transportation often contributes heavily to the carbon footprint. Companies are focusing on logistics and efficiency for the purpose of reducing the CO2 impact associated with transportation.

Reduce overall packaging and increase efficiency

Right-sizing and light-weighting are two key themes in packaging efficiency. Companies that are making investments in this area tend to pay off with reduced costs and transportation benefits. Firms have now found ways to reimagine and reconstruct basic paper-based components to reduce the amount of fiber used in the packaging product. Incorporating design elements like fluting and corrugation to provide strength to packages made with lighter-basis weight-paper grades goes a long way. In addition, changes to tray liners and napkins are significantly reducing fiber use as well.

Use full kife cycle and supply chain approach

The use of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) for various materials drives decisions toward sustainable products. Data from an LCA process allows companies to make big breaks from past practices. For example, the industry has moved from standard PET cups to polypropylene-based ones. There is a strong push to engage in Supplier Social Responsibility Standards, which encourage competition within supply chains to meet rising sustainability standards. Companies are mandating suppliers to provide information on carbon footprint, LCA, materials reduction and so on.

Go organic

Both big businesses and small restaurant owners are opting for more organic menu options. Companies are buying both organic and locally-grown foods to limit the use of toxic, synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and also enabling them to reduce the transportation carbon footprint. Using local foods cuts down on the pollution and gas use required for long-distance transportation.

Increase in-store recycling and recovery

Recycling poses a big challenge to the fast food industry as a whole. There is a strong focus on the packaging material and also, on further recycling of the material. For example, major companies are working along with the food service packaging industry, as part of the Recovered Paper Alliance, to develop the necessary collection infrastructure, expand the end-use markets for recovered fiber, educate consumers on increasing recovery, and collaborate with government officials to ensure appropriate public policy. The Senate Bill 2494 would require large food waste generators to send their food waste to an NJDEP-approved composting or food waste recycling facility for disposal rather than to landfills. There is also a strong push for in-store recycling and recovery. For example, by promotion of re-usable cups and offering discounts to encourage customers to carry their own reusable mugs or tumblers for beverages.
 
So, whether you are running a fast-food joint, a full-service restaurant or a fine dining establishment, finding ways to focus on these indicators will not only help the environment but also increase your profit margins, without affecting the customers’ dining experience.

About Cherryh Cansler

---

Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Networld Media Group and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.

Connect with Cherryh: