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ISS has reached a major sustainability milestone with a collective 30 per cent global food waste reduction from its 2019 baseline.
In addition to this, ISS has taken another step towards fulfilling its commitment to the World Resource Institute’s Cool Food Pledge by reducing nearly five per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions per 1,000 kcal associated with the food it serves globally.
Optimised food procurement, strategically planned menus, and an increased focus on changing consumer behaviour patterns are just a few examples of initiatives that have accelerated ISS’s global food waste reductions, putting the company well on track to reaching its target of 50 per cent global food waste reduction by 2027.
Hamish Cook, Head of Group Food Services, explains that the activities and progress are a result of ISS’s global food sustainability programme which the company rolled out across countries at the beginning of 2022.
He said: “A key element of the programme was to enhance our focus on innovation and leverage data and insights across our global operations. Our partnership with technology company Winnow has been a key lever in this endeavour. By integrating Winnow’s Artificial Intelligence solutions into restaurants and kitchens, our chefs are empowered with knowledge about plate waste and consumer patterns, which helps them to optimise food production and portion sizes – thereby reducing food and plastic waste.”
Through Winnow, ISS is now achieving a collective annualised saving rate of 985,000 tonnes of food waste for its customers. This is equivalent to saving 2,463,000 meals and reducing Co2 emissions by 4,200 tonnes.
Cool Food Pledge
Last year, ISS committed to the World Resource Institute’s Cool Food Pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2030. With a 4.8 per cent reduction per 1,000 kcal from a 2019 baseline, the company is moving in the right direction. ISS will accelerate this by expanding its plant-based menu offerings even further.
Cook said: “Our key priority is to encourage our customers to make more sustainable choices, benefiting both the climate and personal health. This means that we are enhancing innovative recipes development, menu concepts, and comprehensive culinary training.”
As part of this effort, in collaboration with Unilever, ISS is incorporating WWF’s and Unilever’s collaborative suggestions for ‘Future 50 foods’ – 50 nutritious foods with a minimal environmental footprint – into recipes across the world.
Love Food and Stop Waste campaign
In addition to enhancing its culinary training of ISS chefs, both in waste and Co2 reduction efforts, ISS is initiating awareness campaigns across customer sites and its own locations.
Cook added: “In the end, we must drive the climate agenda together. This requires constant awareness and attention. This week, we are supporting the UN-led International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste through our own Love Food and Stop Waste campaign. Restaurants across the world will share recipes and tips for great food with minimum food waste. Most importantly, we encourage everyone to make every day a Love Food and Stop Waste Day. Always optimise the usage of food and materials, minimise waste, and encourage those around you to do the same.”
