ISS Facility Services (ISS) has announced a program to reduce by 50% all food waste produced in facilities where it provides food management services in the U.S. The company intends to accomplish this goal by 2024, which would make it the first major U.S. food services company to do so.
This initiative fits within the company’s mission to help clients minimize their impact on the environment by reducing the use of energy and water, decreasing carbon emissions, and cutting the production of waste, including food. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, globally, one-third of all food is wasted and food waste accounts for approximately 8% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions—representing a large opportunity for improvement.
“We see this program as beneficial not only to our clients and employees but also to our shared communities and the environment,” said Paul Fairhead, CEO of ISS Guckenheimer, the company’s Food Services brand. “We are committed to using leading-edge technology solutions to generate real-world value—which in this case has culminated in a more efficient, environmentally sustainable approach to food management.”
To meet its target, the company has partnered with Winnow, a developer of artificial intelligence tools and smart kitchen technology, to equip more than 200 kitchens in ISS’s purview with food waste technology across the U.S. Through a combination of hardware and software, food waste data is captured in the kitchen and fed back to teams with actionable insights that enable the kitchens to make better inventory decisions.
Winnow CEO and co-founder Marc Zornes says: “As the industry recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are seeing a very strong focus on food waste. It is a foundational part of any company’s net zero goals and helps to ensure kitchens are running to their optimum efficiency. ISS Guckenheimer is leading the industry by example. It is a privilege to work with such a forward-thinking company and help them further improve their responsible processes in their food and beverages offer and positively influence the U.S. market.”
ISS have piloted Winnow in sites across Europe and Australia since 2019. By 2020, they saved over 38 tons of food, the equivalent of saving 84,964 meals from being thrown away.
About ISS Guckenheimer
ISS, a leading workplace experience and facility management company, provides placemaking solutions that contribute to better business performance and makes life easier, more productive and enjoyable – delivered to high standards by people who care. ISS’ food services division, Guckenheimer, is a leader in corporate dining experiences. Building innovative food spaces that power healthy workforces, spark collaboration, and improve employee engagement. Learn more at www.guckenheimer.com.
About Winnow
Winnow builds artificial intelligence tools to help chefs run more profitable and sustainable kitchens by cutting food waste in half. Launched in a single-staff restaurant in 2013, Winnow has now been adopted by more than 1,400 sites globally, operating in over 40 countries with offices in Chicago, London, Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai and Cluj-Napoca. Discover more at www.winnowsolutions.com
Comment on my blog