A decade ago, the word sustainability meant something very different for the foodservice industry compared to today. Back then, food waste was the number-one issue – perhaps the only issue for some operators – although there has long been an understanding that any kind of resource efficiency would be beneficial to the planet and to the bottom line.
Now, the issue of embodied carbon looms on the horizon, marking the latest step change in attitudes over the years. So how has the definition of sustainability evolved, and what has driven that shift?
“It has certainly changed, but motivations vary between regions, judging by conversations I have had,” says Tarah Schroeder FCSI, managing principal and COO of Ricca Design Studios in Denver, Colorado. “To a large extent codes and regulations are driving it, but also organizational commitment to carbon reduction in institutional projects, and opex cost.”
“That said, there is a difference of attitude,” she adds. “When you look back 15 or 20 years, some operators would think you were crazy to talk about it. Now, some clients, particularly colleges, are excited about sustainability and have it as part of their cultural values, while some operators still see it as a hassle.”
Over time, the industry’s stance has changed for many – though clearly not all – operators, with the realization that resource efficiency generates real savings for a business. In an industry where margins are tight, any saving on utility bills is a huge win. Operating costs have, therefore, taken center stage.
“Before, the message was ‘don’t waste food’ but now it is ‘don’t waste power, water or steel either,’” says Vant Tan FCSI, senior VP of CKP Hospitality Consultants, which has offices across Asia. “Save energy first, then water, then worry about scraps. Big chains are moving the fastest in their attempts to use less electricity, as it is their biggest bill.” Now, cost-efficiency is a no-brainer, but the link between opex and sustainability needed a push. As Schroeder suggests, that impetus came largely from regulators.
Changing the rules
The big regulatory changes have been a move away from voluntary codes of conduct to stricter rules with compliance requirements, and a broadening in scope of what falls under regulatory oversight. Voluntary initiatives in the 1990s included the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), from which emerged the concept of ‘green restaurants’ with energyefficient and environmentally friendly practices. This led to other country-specific programs such as the UK’s Food Industry Sustainability Strategy (FISS) in 2006, which focused on waste-reduction targets.
In 2010, the British Hospitality Association (BHA) added sustainability as a key commitment in its strategic plan. Mandatory regulations, including the EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) arrived in 2022, and the UK’s Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDRs) in 2025; both mandate corporate ESG reporting.
In the US, there was a steady shift from an early focus on food safety to a broader set of environmental regulations and voluntary initiatives. In 2015, the country set a national goal to halve per capita food waste. Later, voluntary programs and private standards emerged to complement regulations.
Market-driven sustainability came later, driven by growing consumer demand for green restaurants, and this continues to encourage operators to adopt environmentally friendly practices to gain a competitive advantage.
“The fuel is partly regulation and partly the fact that some clients have a hyper focus on sustainability in their culture,” says Kip Serfozo FCSI, VP of design at Cini-Little. “For some, it is baked into their culture and their company philosophy, but it is also awareness among customers, especially in the college market or among restaurants serving certain demographics.”
Beyond the greenwash
A growing body of research shows that Millennials and Gen Z consumers see sustainability as an important factor in purchasing decisions. They are willing to pay more for sustainable products and services – and they can see through mere virtue signalling.
“There has been a lot of greenwashing in the past – claims of sustainable practices without a lot of data to support them – but there is a big push for data in decision-making,” says Schroeder. “There is now a lot of information on energy use for making equipment choices, but it is only a start. Even when we design a kitchen well, if you leave a refrigerator door open then the intention on energy use disappears.”
For foodservice operations, transparency is key in terms of marketing, but in a practical sense the emphasis is on layout, use of space, and good practice. Also, the lens continues to widen beyond energy efficiency.
“We have broadened out from food waste to a lifecycle view, and that is the most pertinent change,” says Vinoo André Mehera FCSI, CEO of promaFox in Switzerland.
“Manufacturers and specifiers look at transport, water, embodied carbon, end of life and everything else that brings lower running costs, smaller footprints, and more efficiency. If done right there are cost savings and money to be made, but also a benefit to society and to consumers.”
At its core, sustainability is about people, profit, and the planet. Clients want consultants’ help to understand how this translates into their operations, which means covering every aspect from resource efficiency to ergonomic design. Manufacturers work to reduce the need for the human element wherever possible in commercial kitchens, reflecting the challenge of finding experienced labor in the foodservice sector.
“Our industry is very labor intensive, and the facilities we design touch on the people element a lot – including customers – so the human factor also goes into the design from a sustainability standpoint,” says Serfozo. “Being sustainable means looking at operations and how equipment is used, plus policies and procedures on things like waste handling, and staff training. It is not just about specifying more efficient equipment.”
It also means preparing for the next big issue – embodied carbon. This requires a calculation of the total greenhouse gas emissions associated with the entire lifecycle of equipment, from raw material extraction through manufacturing, transportation, and construction, to maintenance and disposal. “It is a massive subject but we are fully taking it on board, while some are shrugging their shoulders,” says Mick Jary, specification director at Meiko UK.
“They once did the same with BIM, now everything revolves around BIM, so history tells us we need to pay attention to embodied carbon. Architects focus on it for the entire building, but they find it hard with the kitchen because many manufacturers are so far behind the curve.”
One challenge is that some suppliers are not willing to divulge the carbon footprint of certain components, but eventually it will be legislated, so it will pay to be ahead of the curve.
“We have a long way to go on that, and we are still trying to understand it,” says Serfozo. “It encompasses the whole building and we are just one piece, so we are trying to figure out how to add value to that. We are still learning about it and manufacturers are trying to figure out how it is reflected in their products. So, it is hard to estimate the future impact.”
A never-ending story of innovation
Manufacturers have gone to great lengths to make their products more resourceefficient, from warewashing machines using less water and electric ovens that draw less power to monitors that ensure refrigerator doors are closed. Now, automation is heralded as the next big breakthrough.
We may soon see equipment using AI to self-diagnose and repair intelligently, or pick the cheapest, greenest time to run. AI and the Internet of Things (IoT) will support operators in making better decisions about how to operate and maintain their equipment, and machines will increasingly communicate with each other and with operators to provide a detailed overview of how sustainably an operation is running.
Innovation will no doubt help the industry to approach its sustainability targets, though it still has a long way to go. The American Institute of Architects (AIA), for example, has a commitment to reach zero emissions in the built environment by 2030 – only five years from now. The latest research suggests the US buildings sector could achieve an 80% reduction in emissions by 2050, but foresees that it may fall just short.
The target may be moving but there have been some real wins along the way. Although progress is patchy, and there are measurement gaps for embodied carbon, manufacturers are starting to report on nearterm CO2 targets. Among fragmented standards and a lack of clarity about emissions along the supply chain, the industry is moving in the right direction.
On sustainability, the glass is half full rather than half empty, though different markets are moving at different speeds. France is leading the way on reducing the use of plastics while others lag behind. For net zero, all-electric kitchens are a must. “Electrification is passé in Switzerland,” says Mehera, with fewer than 5% of kitchens using gas, whereas the UK and the US have a lot of ground to make up in this area.
Change is the only constant here, but manufacturers, operators and consultants are working together to make sure they keep up with the pace.
Jim Banks
