Promoting planetary health is engrained in Aramark's business. From the food it purchases, to how it operates its kitchens and facilities, Aramark works every day to better the world for the next generation.
'For us, Earth Day is a year-round endeavor as we strive to make progress against the goals captured in our Be Well. Do Well. Progress Report. For example, we are pursuing enterprise-wide science-based targets to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, actively working to reduce food waste and our use of plastic disposables at the locations we serve and strengthening partnerships throughout our value chain to drive continuous improvement,' emphasized Alan Horowitz, Aramark's Vice President of Sustainability.
In honor of Earth Day 2024, here are some ways the company is collaborating with employees, clients, and communities to help protect the environment.
Creating Eco-conscious Culinary Experiences at Asilomar Conference Grounds
David Baron, Aramark Destinations' Executive Chef at Asilomar Conference Grounds, has successfully elevated the sustainability of Asilomar's cuisine, while substantially curbing food waste, thanks to an initiative centered around locally sourced ingredients.
Asilomar Conference Grounds is conveniently located near the bountiful Salinas Valley, often referred to as America's Salad Bowl, due to its diverse vegetable production. By collaborating with local farms, Asilomar ensures the highest quality of ingredients and cultivates a sustainable and traceable supply chain that promotes freshness, flavor, and a vibrant local community.
Approximately 70% of the meat and vegetables used at Asilomar are locally sourced, further enhancing the venue's sustainable practices, consistent with Baron's belief that sustainability lies in supporting local farmers and producers.
Recycling Oil at Loyola University Chicago
The Aramark Collegiate Hospitality team at Loyola University Chicago (LUC) partners with Green Kitchen Concepts, Inc., to collect and recycle used oil on campus.
When Loyola Dining's operations are finished using fryer oil, Green Kitchen Concepts places the used oil in designated storage tanks on campus. When these tanks are full, the oil is collected by an oil recycling company and is transported to a processing facility for filtering and cleaning.
The clean oil is delivered to the Searle Biodiesel Lab in the LUC School of Environmental Sustainability. There, the lab team processes the oil into biodiesel that is used to fuel the University's intercampus shuttles, replacing higher-emitting traditional diesel fuel.
Additionally, Glycerin, a byproduct of the biodiesel process, is used to create the BioSoap that is offered in restrooms across campus - a truly circular process!
Reducing Food Waste with Football Champions, the Kansas City Chiefs
Aramark Sports + Entertainment minimizes waste through a holistic food management process, from planning and purchasing to production and service. Through innovative food ordering and preparation techniques, Aramark works with the Kansas City Chiefs to produce and prepare just enough food to feed the crowd based on ticket sales, promotions, and tickets scanned.
Aramark and the Chiefs also partner with local charity, Pete's Garden, to redirect uneaten and untouched food to organizations that serve families in need throughout the Greater Kansas City area. This includes surplus food from the player training meals, which also gets redirected. In 2023 alone, surplus food donations from player training meals to Pete's Garden totaled 5,938 pounds, or 5,000 meals to Kansas City area families.
Using Reusable Dishware at Aramark's Global Headquarters
Through a pilot with Re:Dish, a reusable dishware program, Aramark recently made the switch from disposables to reusable dishware and silverware at its Philadelphia headquarters.
Re:Dish delivers and collects reusable food containers, cleans and sanitizes them at its local industrial washing facility, and returns them for reuse in Aramark's corporate cafe.
Employee support for the program has been tremendous. In the first four months of the program, Aramark has diverted more than 43,000 single-use products and 2,000 pounds of waste from its headquarters' waste stream.
Reducing food-related emissions in the US
'We estimate that over half of Aramark's carbon footprint comes from the food being purchased and served throughout our operations,' said Horowitz. 'Cutting carbon emissions is a critical component of our Be Well. Do Well. plan and a reason we have embarked on several initiatives to be able to hit our environmental targets.'
One of those initiatives includes recently joining the New York City Mayor's Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge as an extension Aramark's existing Coolfood Pledge to reduce the GHG emissions associated with the food the company serves in the U.S. by 25 percent by 2030.
The Plant-Powered Carbon Challenge harnesses the power of the private sector to reduce New York City's overall emissions and set the bar for plant-powered climate action.
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