Compass Group, the global leader in food services, which serves 5.5 billion meals a year across 45 countries, today announces a partnership with Eat, a non-profit organisation dedicated to transforming the global food system.
Compass Group will work closely with Eat on a pilot project in its Nordic operations to track the carbon footprint of the food it serves, alongside a Compass Group project in Denmark which is focused on lowering the CO2 impact of the food it purchases in 2020 by 25%.
The data collected will be used to analyse the food served by Compass Group, and where appropriate adjust purchasing and menus with healthy, lower-carbon alternatives such as increased plant-based options, to reflect the need for sustainable food systems. The pilot will begin in early 2020 and is expected to last the full year.
Compass Group’s partnership with Eat follows the publication in The Lancet, the leading international medical journal, of The Eat-Lancet commission’s report examining the need to feed a growing global population a healthy diet from sustainable food systems that will minimise damage to the planet and improve human health.
The Eat-Lancet ‘Planetary Health Diet’ emphasises a biodiverse range of vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes, with sustainably-sourced fish, eggs, dairy, and meat.
The pilot will focus on lowering the amount of meat served and increasing the serving of vegetables, as well as increasing the number of seasonal and sustainable recipes, and training chefs in preparing lower-carbon dishes.
Federico Tonetti, Compass Group Safety and Sustainability Director, said, “As the largest player in the food service market we have a real opportunity to have an impact on our world.
'Our sustainability strategy is focused on taking targeted actions where we believe they will have the greatest impact, and working with clients and consumers to raise awareness and influence better nutritional choices.
'This exciting pilot with Eat allows us to test key elements from the Eat-Lancet report and use it to inform our business decisions.”
Dr. Gunhild Stordalen, Executive Chair and Founder of Eat, said, “Food is the dark horse in determining whether or not we will achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the Paris Agreement.
'The Eat-Lancet report and other reports show that we are running out of time to transform the global food system in order to ensure enough healthy, affordable food for a growing population within safe environmental limits.
'Radical changes across the entire value chain and new collaboration are needed to make it a reality. That’s why we are thrilled to welcome Compass on board as a partner, to start translating the global Eat-Lancet targets into actionable targets for their business.”