Compass Ireland is leading action to reduce workplace food waste, working with employers across Ireland to cut waste on site through practical changes in how food is planned, prepared and consumed.
This comes as Compass Ireland marks ten years of Stop Food Waste Day this Wednesday (29th April). First launched by Compass Group USA, the initiative has grown over the past 10 years into the world’s largest single day of action dedicated to tackling food waste, bringing together teams, clients, customers and partners to raise awareness, share ideas and inspire practical change. At a recent event to mark the day, Compass Ireland brought together food waste experts, chefs and sustainability leaders to discuss how we can work together to reduce food waste and build more sustainable workplace food services, and included an expert discussion and a zero-waste lunch.
Niamh Quinn, Sustainability Lead, Compass Ireland, said “Food waste is not just a kitchen issue, it is a sustainability issue. Around one-third of food produced globally each year is wasted, and food loss and waste is responsible for an estimated 8-10% of annual global greenhouse gas emissions. For businesses, that makes reducing food waste one of the clearest and most practical ways to lower environmental impact.”
Food waste is a key focus for Compass Ireland under its Planet Promise, alongside climate, nature and health. The company’s approach is centred on prevention first, supported by training, behaviour change, data and kitchen innovation to help ensure food going into the bin is always the last resort.
Kitchen teams use DigiTally technology to track food waste in real time and make better decisions around menu planning, ordering and production. Chefs are also encouraged to reduce, reuse and repurpose ingredients through recipe redesign and approaches such as stem-to-tip and nose-to-tail cooking, while day-to-day measures including careful menu planning, forecasting, proper storage, portion control and smaller batch cooking help cut waste at source. Where surplus food cannot be avoided, Compass Ireland works with partners including Olio and local charities to help ensure it is redirected back into the community rather than going to waste.
At one Compass Ireland site, a targeted waste-reduction strategy supported by DigiTally insights, improved stock control, smaller batch cooking, portion flexibility and stronger team engagement helped reduce food waste cost as a percentage of purchases from approximately 8.34% to 4.04% over the course of a year.
As part of the event, Compass Ireland also launched Refruit in partnership with O Brother Brewing - a range of flavoured, sparkling waters made from fruit trimmings and peelings that would otherwise go to waste. When fruit is prepared, peelings and trimmings often get discarded. Instead of letting these vibrant ingredients go to waste, they are rescued at source and transformed into something refreshing, giving surplus ingredients a second life and showing how waste can be rethought in simple, creative ways.
Deirdre O’Neill, Managing Director of Compass Ireland, said “First launched by Compass Group USA, Stop Food Waste Day has shown what practical action can achieve. By working together with clients, teams and customers, we can reduce food waste on site, protect valuable resources and build more sustainable workplaces.”
Compass Ireland said Stop Food Waste Day is not just about one day in the calendar, but about building lasting behaviour change by working with clients, teams and customers to reduce food waste every day.
