At INTERCATERING, we prove in practice our awareness towards social and environmental issues. Recognizing the problem of food waste in the catering industry, our company has been taking an active role for years, with important initiatives to enhance and establish best practices in its services.
Food Waste is a major environmental and social problem, with a huge impact on global sustainability. Besides the waste of valuable raw materials, the pollution that is caused is also extremely serious, as food has a high carbon footprint due to the energy consumed for its production, collection, processing and packaging, as well as for the preparation and finally its disposal. Thus, InterCatering focuses on optimizing its operational and production processes, along with the proper management of its waste.
Specifically:
- We ensure the proper and careful purchase of seasonal raw materials from local producers, thus reducing the energy needs associated with their packaging, transport and storage, which contributes in having consistently high-quality and fresh ingredients for the preparation of dishes.
- We inform, educate and sensitize our staff regarding the proper management and preparation of raw materials, so that they are used to the maximum extent possible.
- Our company’s Executive Chefs study the needs of each event and carefully plan the portioning, while the Sales Executives advise customers on the appropriate proportion of dishes in the menu of each event, in order to avoid food waste.
- We recycle paper, plastic and glass packaging that cannot be avoided and we participate in a special program for the recycling of cooking oil.
- We recycle our biowaste in the brown bins, that is we collect organic materials, food, vegetable and fruit waste, for the purpose of composting, contributing to the natural conversion of the above materials into a useful soil-improving fertilizer.
In addition, with a strong sense of corporate social responsibility, we are proud to be one of the founding members of the "Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste" established in September 2020, supporting its action, advocating for the reduction of food waste, improving and highlighting best practices in the field of mass catering.
The "Alliance for the Reduction of Food Waste" is a coordinated action of the state, market and society that is constantly expanding and gaining proliferative potential, while under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy. With the aim of developing synergies, public authorities, professional bodies, food and catering companies from all stages of the supply chain, civil society organizations, academic institutions and research community, join forces and are invited to contribute to:
- Informing and raising awareness about the extent and effects of food waste
- Training and education to prevent and reduce food waste
- Exchange information and knowledge
- Dissemination of good practices
- Promoting research and innovation
- Facilitating the donation of surplus food for social welfare purposes
- Contribution to the formulation and implementation of public policy for the prevention and reduction of food waste in Greece
Also, we cooperate with the Non-Profit Organization "Boroume" to reduce food waste and combat malnutrition in Greece. At the end of events, unused food of high quality and nutritional value, preserved with all food hygiene rules, is delivered to charitable organizations for distribution to social groups in need.
Finally, INTERCATERING is the only catering company in Greece that is a member of EPCAS (European Event Catering Association) who takes important initiatives to enhance good practices regarding "Food Waste Management". In fact, for our active role in protecting the sustainability of the environment from "Food Waste", our company was awarded by EPCAS with the "Bronze Level - Food Waste Sensitivity" in 2014 and "Silver Level - Food Waste Awareness" in 2017.
