Bon Appétit's Low Carbon Diet Commitment
Based on research gathered by the Bon Appétit Management Company Foundation, we announced operational initiatives in April 2007 to significantly minimize our carbon impact over three years. We also committed to develop an educational campaign aimed at increasing our guests’ awareness about the food system’s contribution to climate change.
The following initiatives will be implemented in all Bon Appétit cafés nationwide:
Meat and cheese
- Reduce the amount of beef we purchase by 25% by April 2009
- Reduce the amount of cheese we purchase by 10% or more by April 2008
- Purchase 100% of our meats from North America and continue to take an active interest in improving production methods
- Starting in April 2008, we will launch a campaign to inform our customers about the link between beef and cheese to climate change so they will be able to make conscious choices
Food waste
- Reduce food waste by 25% by April 2010
- Implement composting programs and alternative uses of food waste (such as bio-fuels) at every possible site
- Develop a “shared sense of responsibility” for food waste among staff and customers through staff training and marketing messages
Snacks and highly processed foods
- Reduce consumption of processed sweets, snacks and chocolate by 10% through consumer messaging, chef training and menu engineering by April 2009
Seafood
(Note: all seafood must conform to Seafood Watch standards)
- Eliminate air-freighted species by April 2009
- Adopt a new standard for procurement that prefers “regionally-procured or frozen-at-sea” seafood for wild seafood
- Evaluate portion sizes and promote species, such as mussels and clams, that are flavorful, sustainable and low on the food chain
- Undertake a supply chain analysis to better understand the origin of our seafood supplies
Fruits and Vegetables
- Source 100% of vegetables and non-tropical fruits from North America by April 2008
- Reduce purchases of tropical fruits by 50% by April 2009
- Continue to actively promote and procure local and seasonal produce
Beverages
- Source all bottled water from North American sources by April 2008
- Reduce coffee purchases by 10% by April 2008
- Introduce more shade-grown and organic coffees in cafés by April 2010
Energy usage
- Conduct equipment and operational audits of all accounts
- Reduce energy and water usage by at least 20% by April 2010
- Require all units to identify how they will achieve efficiencies in equipment and operations
Packaging
- Reduce the total usage of disposables by at least 10% by April 2009
- Reduce overall demand and expectation for unnecessary packaging through a consumer education campaign
- Define the best environmental options for each type of unit and implement changes, as needed, by April 2009
To learn more about the scientific research behind our Low Carbon Diet initiatives, visit our BAMCO Foundation page.