What is
Sustainable
Food &
Beverage?

The concept of sustainable
food and beverage
encompasses many dimensions, and to explore it, you
first need to understand the definition of sustainability itself. According to the United Nations Brundtland
Commission, sustainability means “meeting the needsof the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Sustenance is a core human need. In this guide,
discover ways to source and serve food and beverage formeetings in ways that meet that need, but also preserve
resources and natural systems for generations to come.
Food impacts the environment through its cultivation, transportation, distribution, consumption anddisposal. The choices producers and consumers makethroughout this process can have positive or negative
effects on ecosystems, greenhouse gas emissions, water
quality, waste and more.
The systems that produce and distribute food arecomplex, and meeting professionals are typically one of
the last links in the chain before food reaches end consumers, a.k.a. attendees. The following key areas present
meeting professionals and supplier partners the greatest
opportunity to influence sustainable choices.
• Designing and sourcing sustainable menus• Reducing food waste through prevention and landfill
diversion

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PART 1: Designing and Sourcing
Sustainable Menus
A sustainable food and beverage program starts
with designing menus. Sustainable menu choice isa multifaceted process with many factors to consider, such as protein sources, ingredient cultivation methods and portion sizes.

Protein Choices: The Benefitsof a Plant-Based Approach
Plant-based foods are a booming trend, partially due to the growing awareness around the impact of animal agriculture on theenvironment. In 2021, the Met Gala menu was 100 percent plantbased for the first time, and fast-food restaurants renowned forbeef and chicken products are adopting plant-based menu items.
According to climate solution research organization Project
Drawdown, shifting to plant-rich diets is one of the most powerfulways to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Reduced demand
for meat-based protein means less land cleared for agriculture andfewer direct methane emissions from livestock and manure.
You may be ready to adopt a 100 percent plant-based menu foryour next meeting — if that’s you, go for it! However, if a totallyvegan menu isn’t a great cultural fit for your group, you can still
make a sustainable impact by strategically reducing your menu’s
proportion of animal-based protein.
Try a single meatless meal in the schedule and gauge how
your group responds. Switch out plates that have a large cut ofmeat as the focal point for dishes that incorporate smaller piecesof meat; for example, lasagna as opposed to a steak, or chicken
primavera instead of a chicken breast. You can also substitutehigher-emitting animal proteins like beef and lamb with lower-emitting options like poultry, pork or eggs.
When reducing or removing animal-based protein from amenu, it’s important to ensure that enough protein and calories
remain for the meal to be nutritionally sufficient. One common
mistake is to subtract meat to create a vegan plate, rather thansubstitute meat with a plant-based protein source. Filling (but notoverly heavy) meals are vital for all guests to be energized andattentive.

There are dozens of plant-based protein options, creating
opportunities for a wide range of textures and flavors in meatlessmeals. Possibilities range from staples like beans, lentils, peas,
nuts and quinoa to soy-based products like tofu and tempeh towheat-based products like seitan.

You may be ready to adopt
a 100 percent plant-basedmenu for your next meeting — if that’s you, go for it!
However, if a totally veganmenu isn’t a great cultural fit
for your group, you can still
make a sustainable impact
by strategically reducing
your menu’s proportion ofanimal-based protein.
Options for plant-based imitation meats are expanding rapidly,with brands like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and others becoming common sights on menus. Brands are also experimenting with combination protein products, such as Tyson’s Raised
and Rooted, which uses blends of animal and pea protein. But
don’t rely on imitation meats for every meal, as many plantbased eaters view processed imitation products as indulgent“junk food” for an occasional treat, rather than an everyday
staple.
Chefs are no strangers to the plant-based trend. Collaborate
with your caterer to conceive creative meatless menu items thatwill leave your attendees satisfied and energized.

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Reasonable Portion Sizes
When designing a sustainable menu, portion sizes are just as important as ingredients. According to food waste nonprofit ReFED,
70 percent of food waste from food service businesses in the U.S.
comes from post-consumer plate waste, meaning customers consistently do not consume all the food they are served.
Catering staff are familiar with the sight of large, often expensive cuts of meat discarded after banquets because portions were
simply too large for most guests to finish.
Choose portion sizes that your guests will find consumable,
rather than using them to make a visual impression. Meat dishes
are a great place to start, since they are often portioned in ounces,making it easy to quantify the amount of reduction. With moreroom on the plate, your caterer will be able to use more artistic
plating techniques, which can be just as impressive, with less foodwaste.
By the time guests make it through hors d’oeuvres, salad andentrée, most are also unlikely to finish a large, rich dessert. Small,one-bite sweets are a great substitute for full-size cake slices orother large desserts.
Choosing wise portion sizes also entails considering the number of overall courses for each meal. Does your audience reallyneed or expect three courses at every meal? Would they be just as
satisfied with a lighter lunch or a less formal dinner? A food waste
audit can help reveal which courses or dishes your guests are leaving on their plates, giving you guidance on where to adjust.

Ingredient Sourcing Considerations
What makes an ingredient sustainable? Short answer: It’s hard tosay. In today’s complex, globalized food production landscape, it’sdifficult to make accurate generalizations about any specific food
item or agricultural approach.
Fully understanding the complex world of food sourcing is
outside the purview of most meeting professionals. Rather, you
should become familiar with sustainable food sourcing concepts
so you can discuss options with your clients and food service suppliers, while relying on the latter as a provider of deeper sourcing
expertise.
Below is an overview of some of the most popular sustainability-related descriptors and labels for food and beverage. Use thisprimer to familiarize yourself with terms your clients may requestor that your organization may wish to pursue based on your values.
1. Local & Seasonal
In recent years, discussion of “food miles” has been a dominantfocus of conversation about sustainable food sourcing. The con-Experiencing the
Local Food Community
Meals aren’t the only ways for attendees to experience thefood landscape of your meeting destination. Agritourism
experiences oﬀer an opportunity for participants to get oﬀ-site
and up-close to the food and culture in your meeting location.
Ways to experience the local food community include thefollowing.
• Local farmers’ markets• Farm tours• Pick-your-own trips to a farm or orchard
Tip: If your attendees can’t eat or store the food they pick,work with your caterer to arrange donation to a local nonproﬁt.
• Seasonal food festivals• Charter ﬁshing excursions• Family-oriented farm and food activities (for spouses andfamilies who travel with attendees)

cept is simple and intuitive: Transportation requires significant
fuel use; therefore, foods that are shipped long distances musthave a bigger negative impact on the environment, especiallywhen it comes to greenhouse gas emissions.
In reality, the equation is more complex. Multiple studies haveshown that transportation accounts for a relatively small percentage of the overall carbon footprint of food products—production
often proves to be a much more significant factor. Reduced emissions from cutting long-haul transportation can be outweighed by
the amount of fertilizer and energy used, for example.
Some regions have favorable climates or improved agricultural development that enable farmers to produce higher
yields with fewer resources. For example, growing tomatoes in agreenhouse heated by fossil fuels is likely to have a higher carbon
footprint than tomatoes grown in a naturally warmer region,even if those greenhouse tomatoes are consumed locally.
Because growing practices vary from farm to farm, one of
the benefits of sourcing food locally is greater visibility into how
food is grown. With fewer links in the supply chain, it’s easier forchefs to communicate directly with farmers, allowing them toassess quality and learn about the farm’s stewardship of the local
environment. Local, seasonal ingredients can also travel fromfield to table more quickly, maintaining flavor and freshness.

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In addition to greater transparency, sourcing food from smalland medium-sized farms can positively impact the local economy
and community. Small farms are another type of small businessyour event can support, increasing benefit to the local economy.
Selling crops within their home region can also provide cost savings for small farmers, who often operate on thin margins.
Supporting small farms provides environmental benefits forland use as well.
“When people can’t make it farming or have tough times,
they sell land, and development pays the most,” says Mike Cullipher, owner and farmer at Cullipher Farm Market in Virginia
Beach, Va. “That’s the biggest thing I wish people would consider when they make a purchase and decide who to support.
They’re not just buying strawberries; they’re helping the overall
environment by keeping those farms as farms.”
Preserving a robust local food system helps communities be
resilient in the event of natural disasters or supply chain disruptions, as well.
Serving local foods opens a window for participants into
the culture, history and natural environment of the destination
they’re visiting. For example, Washington D.C.-based catering
company Well Dunn helped a locally focused client create amenu with ingredients sourced only from a handful of counties
in the Piedmont region of Virginia. They also create menus thathighlight other local regions.
“People are interested in that,” says Madeline Desser, generalmanager at Well Dunn. “Maybe what you’re serving isn’t something they can get where they’re coming from.” Having authentic
cultural experiences through food helps participants feel a deeper
connection to the destination, making meetings more memorable.
You’ll ultimately rely on your caterer to advise what local
ingredients they will be able to source in sufficient quantities foryour group. While food costs vary, you may realize cost savingsby sourcing some local ingredients, so it’s worth pricing out options. Meeting professionals may find that a combination of local
products and products from further afield is the best solution fora meal’s budget, headcount and vision.
2. Certified Organic“Certified organic” is a popular label within the sustainable foodmovement. However, like local sourcing, the environmental
benefits of organic farming are not entirely definitive.
To be certified organic, farms must adhere to specific standards in their operations. While there are many different systemsof organic certification worldwide, most include the same key
elements, such as a prohibiting synthetic fertilizers, chemical
pesticides and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and

Addressing Social andEnvironmental
Issues with Fair Trade
Some of the world’s most popular food commodities facesigniﬁcant environmental and social challenges in their supply
chains, such as child and forced labor, unfair prices paid tofarmers and growing practices that harm the environment.
Fair trade (or fairtrade) certiﬁcation programs aim toaddress these problems by building long-term relationships
with producers, ensuring fair prices and setting environmental
and human-rights standards. There are multiple similar
fair-trade labels, such as Fair Trade Certiﬁed, Fairtrade
International, Fair for Life and others. The Rainforest Alliancecertiﬁcation program also addresses a combination ofenvironmental, social and economic issues.
Requesting fair trade ingredients from your caterer is a lowhanging opportunity to improve the sustainability and social
impact of your menus. Focus on fair trade for the following
commodities, which face particularly pressing issues in their
supply chains.
• Coﬀee• Tea• Cocoa / chocolate• Bananas• Sugarrequiring certain activities that improve soil fertility.
Numerous studies have shown organic farming practices
as having mixed positive and negative environmental consequences. On the one hand, the soil on organic farms tends to behealthier and require less water, and organic practices can alsopreserve more biodiversity on the farm landscape. Workers onorganic farms may also avoid some negative health outcomes
associated with occupational exposure to synthetic pesticides.
On the other hand, organic farms tend to produce lower
yields per unit of land compared to conventional farms, meaning
more land is required to produce the same amount of food. The
climate benefit of organic farming is also inconclusive; whileorganic practices can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereductions may not be significant when looking at the carbon
footprint per unit of food, because of the lower yields.
It’s also important to recognize that many smaller producers
choose not to pursue organic certification due to the costs andrigorous record-keeping associated with the process, but many
still follow practices consistent with the organic approach. Farmsof any size may implement some organic practices without pursuing full certification.

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3. Regenerative & Conservation Agriculture
Regenerative and conservation agriculture are two similar systems of farming that emphasize ecosystem restoration and soil
health. In contrast to organic farming, regenerative and conservation agriculture are not formal systems of standards, butrather approaches that include a suite of soil-building techniques
including the following.
• No-till or low-till practices to reduce soil disturbance• Planting cover crops• Rotating diverse crops• Rotating crops with livestock grazing
Some of these practices are present in organic farming, but they
are used by many farms without organic certification as well.
Successful implementation can result in reduced soil erosion,water pollution and pesticide use, while also supporting biodiversity and increasing the soil’s potential for sequestering carbon.
Research has shown mixed effects of conservation agriculture
techniques on crop yields, with some farms experiencing increases and others decreases.
4. Biodiversity
As stewards of large amounts of land, it’s important for farmers
to support and protect biodiversity in the local ecosystem.
“A big part of biodiversity is maintaining pollinator health,”
says Dr. Aurora Dawn Benton, owner of positive impact consultancy Astrapto. Pollinator populations are declining worldwide
due to numerous factors including habitat loss, disease, pesticide
exposure and climate change. “Pollinators are dependent on arich diversity of plants. Biodiversity is the antithesis of chemicals
and the herbicides, pesticides and monoculture” that have cometo dominate the large-scale farming landscape, Benton says.
Certain cover crops, which themselves help foster long-term
soil health, can also support pollinators.
“As we finish up sweet corn, we’ll plant sunflowers as a covercrop to help with pollination and our bees,” says Cullipher of
Cullipher Farm Market. “There’s not a whole lot of pollen available when you get into September and October, so it gives [thebees] an ample supply going into the winter.”
5. Sustainable Seafood
What makes certain seafoods sustainable? Sustainable seafood isgrown and harvested in ways that do not harm the ecosystem orother wildlife. Seafood is either wild-caught or farmed, and eachapproach has different sustainability considerations.
Wild-caught sustainable seafood comes from well-managed

The Impact of Offshore Wind Turbineson Sustainable Ocean SeafoodWind farms are well-known as a source of renewable power, but
their potential for sustainability goes beyond the production ofelectricity.
Twenty-seven miles oﬀ the coast of Virginia Beach, a
188-turbine wind farm is under construction, only the second ofits kind in the United States. Once complete in 2026, the projectwill produce enough electricity to power as many as 660,000
homes, avoiding the same amount of greenhouse gas emissions
as could be removed by 80 million trees. But the project’s
beneﬁts will extend into the ocean ecosystem as well.
In coastal aquaculture, “a lot of the ﬁsh we’re interested
in are associated with structure,” says Dr. Michael Schwarz,
director of the Virginia Seafood Agriculture Research &Extension Center at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University (Virginia Tech). “When we put in structures likewind turbines, we’ll very quickly see diﬀerent species begin
to colonize the area and create habitat, almost like a marine
preserve.”
Like coral reefs, wind turbines provide the basis for new
habitats in what was otherwise a ﬂat area. Fish like black sea
bass and Atlantic spadeﬁsh are expected in the area, alongwith crabs, mussels and other organisms up and down the foodchain.
Exclusion zones around the wind farm will not only protect
the energy infrastructure from commercial ship traﬃc, butalso provide protection for the new habitats and create
opportunities for symbiotic aquaculture and enhanced ﬁsheries.
“It’s a really exciting opportunity to look at what else we can dowith oﬀshore wind farms, and what the environmental beneﬁts
can be,” Dr. Schwarz says.
Between habitat growth and aquaculture development,
projects like Virginia’s oﬀshore wind farm have the potential toincrease seafood production, making fresh, local seafood moreavailable for residents and visitors alike.

populations that are not over-fished and is harvested via methods that minimize the impact of fishing gear on the ecosystemand other species. Farmed sustainable seafood limits pollution
and disease, habitat damage, the escape of fish and the use ofwild fish as feed.

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Seafood Watch, a resource maintained by the Monterey Bay
Aquarium in California, is a leading source of expertise for bothconsumers and businesses. The program maintains a systemof rigorous, scientifically based environmental standards foraquaculture and fisheries. They publish regularly updated seafood
recommendations organized into three categories: Best Choice,Good Alternative and Avoid.
While Seafood Watch takes a comprehensive view of the global seafood industry, sustainability can vary by region and species.
Local experts, such as an aquarium or marine science institute,can provide insight on sustainable seafood options available inyour meeting destination.

In addition to providing
information about specificseafood species, regionallyfocused programs can help
you identify restaurants
and caterers that arecommitted to offering
sustainable seafood.
For example, the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science
Center created its own Sensible Seafood Program to highlightsustainably caught local seafood and educate restaurants aboutsustainable sourcing. The program also highlights local species
evaluated by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch rating system.
“When we launched our program in October 2008, summer
flounder was on the red list,” says Karen Burns, manager of theSensible Seafood Program. “We crafted a letter with supporting
documents and evidence from experts in our region that showedthat summer flounder in this region is, in fact, sustainable.” Thefollowing year, Seafood Watch moved this species of flounderfrom the red “Avoid” category to the yellow “Good Alternative”
category.
In addition to providing information about specific seafood species, regionally focused programs can help you identify restaurants
and caterers that are committed to offering sustainable seafood.
Ask caterers if they source seafood in accordance with recommendations from Seafood Watch or a locally managed responsible
seafood guide. If they do not, share those resources with them.

The companies that supply seafood to restaurants and caterers
often have lists with highlighted sustainable seafood choices,
according to Burns. These lists are available upon request.
If you want to adhere to Seafood Watch’s Best Choice list orother sustainable criteria, communicate that to your caterer earlyin the menu selection process.
Beyond environmental concerns, human rights issues
such as forced labor and worker abuse are prevalent in theseafood industry. While there is no easy-to-use rating systemor directory to find seafood free of human rights issues, somefair-trade certification programs do include seafood. Ask yourcaterer what fair trade certified or other ethical options may beavailable.

Influencing Sustainable Food Sourcing
While meeting professionals ultimately rely on their food andbeverage suppliers to execute final sourcing decisions, planners
can exert significant influence on the process.
When possible, partner with a caterer who is committed tosustainable food sourcing. The Green Restaurant Association
certifies restaurants and caterers on sustainable criteria using a
4-star system. Use their online directory to find certified restaurants and caterers in your destination. Also look for caterers whoemphasize a commitment to sustainability in their marketing
materials.
Ask specific questions about food sourcing in your RFPs tofood and beverage suppliers. If a supplier is unable to provide
substantive answers to your questions, they may not have theknowledge required to meet your expectations.
Many caterers welcome these questions and want meeting
professionals to utilize their expertise as resources on local andsustainable food options.
“We encourage meeting professionals to share their values and expectations regarding environmental sustainability
for their events, which in turn allows us the opportunity to
showcase our expertise in the local and regional food scene,”says Beth Williamson, district manager for Sodexo Live! at theVirginia Beach Convention Center. “We find significant value
in focusing on sustainable food and beverage practices at every
level of our operation.”

Early Communication & Flexibility
Among the competing concerns of budget, attendee preference
and sustainability, caterers often rely on their clients to lead theconversation about what factors are most important to them.
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8

information ahead of time,” says Desser at catering company
Well Dunn. “It’s a lot harder, the further along you get into theprocess, if we’re trying to make big changes.”
The sooner caterers know your preferences, the more information they can share. For example, if you tell your caterer
you want to emphasize local foods, they can create a proposal
citing where ingredients come from and what farms they’reworking with, says Steve Dunn, founder of Well Dunn.
Meeting professionals should also be prepared to collaborate with caterers on custom menus.
“We look forward to working directly with our clients toprovide more inclusive menus that focus on local, seasonal,
healthy and sustainable options versus the traditional cookiecutter menus of the past,” states Williamson of Sodexo Live!
To meet each group’s unique requirements, Williamson’s
team collects important information from clients includinggroup history, dietary preferences and accommodations, budget and sustainability goals. This information allows the sales
team to collaborate with the chef to customize and propose
several menu options.

Ultimately, the goal of menu
design is to feed guests, sosometimes you need to meetattendees where they are.
It’s okay to rely on certain
dishes your guests havereliably consumed in the past,
because food that gets eaten
doesn’t end up as waste. But
leave space for exploration.
When focusing on local foods, planners should be prepared
to be flexible on substitutions. “Events can get planned a year
out, so we don’t know sometimes what the product is going tolook like,” Desser says. “Maybe you won’t be able to guaranteethat every single thing is going to be exactly the same as it was ayear ago, but it’s going to be delicious product no matter what.”
Finally, if you want to source from smaller, local, diverse
suppliers to meet your sustainability goals, be prepared toencounter some obstacles. “You have to be willing to breakthrough some walls, because the walls are there,” says Dr. Benton
of consultancy Astrapto. Corporate procurement systems may

Applying Sustainable Sourcing
Concepts to Beverages
The same sustainable considerations used to source foodcan also be applied to beverages. Most beverages consist of
one or more agricultural ingredients, whether it be fruit forjuices, hops for beer or sugar for soda. Depending on thefocus of your sustainability goals, work with your caterer
to source locally grown or made beverages, or drinks
with organic, regeneratively grown or fair-trade certiﬁed
ingredients. Many of these options may come from smaller
beverage producers, presenting an opportunity to add
diversity to your supplier list.

include minimum order quantities, turnaround times or financial
requirements that exclude smaller suppliers, so you may need torequest exceptions in order to use desired vendors.
To make your case, Dr. Benton advises creating a “compelling punch—data that shows attendees and clients are interested in these things, and/or the experience and storytelling thatcome with using these suppliers.” In the face of barriers, Benton
suggests thinking quality over quantity. “Every little bit that you
commit to doing, you’re going to have a really cool story to tell.”Ultimately, the goal of menu design is to feed guests, so sometimes meeting professionals need to meet attendees where theyare. It’s okay to rely on certain dishes your guests have reliably
consumed in the past, because food that gets eaten doesn’t end up
as waste. But leave space for exploration.
“It’s about the planner expanding their menu mindset,” Dr.
Benton says. Some meeting professionals may copy-and-paste
their menus for multiple events, she adds. “It’s about going outside that mentality and asking chefs to bring some of their ideas
in order to broaden and create a more interesting menu.”

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9PART 2: Reducing Food Waste ThroughPrevention and Landfill Diversion
Every year, an estimated one-third of global foodproduction goes to waste, according to the United
Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. Foodwaste is a major social problem because world hunger and malnutrition continue to be widespread, with
2.37 billion people either without food or unable toeat a healthy diet on a regular basis, per UN statistics.
Environmentally, food waste is also a major global problem
due to the amounts of land and resources used to produce wasted food, not to mention the greenhouse gases emitted at every
stage along the way.
Project Drawdown identifies reducing food waste as one ofits top climate solutions. According to Drawdown, food waste
sources vary by a country’s income. In low-income countries,
food waste often occurs as unintentional spoilage in early stagesof production and distribution. In higher-income countries,
food waste at the retail and consumer levels is more common.
Twenty-eight percent of U.S. food waste is estimated to comefrom consumer-facing businesses, which include hospitality andfood service, according to ReFED.
As part of Sustainable Development Goal No. 12, the United
Nations has set a target to cut retail and consumer food waste inhalf by 2030 while also reducing food losses along production
and supply chains.

Preventing Food Waste
Techniques to prevent food waste can occur both front- andback-of-house. While many back-of-house methods, like properlabeling and storage, fall within the purview of the caterer rather
than the meeting owner, you can assess a caterer’s commitment
to reducing food waste by asking for information about foodwaste management in RFPs.
The most important role meeting professionals can play in
reducing food waste is providing accurate headcounts. “We rely
heavily on the client to know their show and attendee history, in-cluding how many people typically attend each meal function as
it relates to the original guarantee provided,” says Williamson ofSodexo Live! “The no-show rate is valuable information to any
caterer from a logistical planning, purchasing and preparation
perspective.”Collecting accurate headcounts starts with registration.
Rather than determining one overall headcount for the entire
event, include a question in your registration form that asks
guests to check off which specific meal functions they plan to attend. Guests often know if they are arriving late, leaving early orscheduling personal meetings over mealtimes. Having meal-specific registration provides a way for them to communicate thoseplans and gives you a headcount for each individual function.
Refer to data from past events to further increase headcountaccuracy. In addition to overall attendance (how many people
didn’t show up to the event at all), collect attendance and consumption data for each meal. Ask your caterer for a post-event
report of how many plates or pans of food were prepared but notconsumed for each meal. This data will reveal how your no-showrate and food waste vary by meal. For example, your guests may
optimistically register for the 8 a.m. breakfast, but your post-event
report will show you what percentage of guests actually made it
there. These reports can also be helpful for your caterers to identify when they may have overproduced certain dishes.
Attendance and consumption behavior will likely vary byaudience, so this data is most useful for repeat events withsimilar groups. Also keep in mind that different caterers may
prepare different amounts of food for the same headcount, so
use caution when applying data to different situations. Overtime, you may identify trends that are consistent among multiple
groups or caterers you work with. Continue to request consumption reports for each meal function and event you plan to build aknowledge base and refine your headcount estimation skills.

Tips for Buffets & Stations
Request specific service methods that have been shown to
reduce food waste, including the following strategies to reduce

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post-consumer plate waste from buffets and stations.
• Provide smaller plates for guests and use smaller scoops andspoons for serving. Guests tend to fill the space available on theirplates, so reducing the amount of plate space and the default
serving size prevents guests’ eyes from being bigger than theirstomachs.
• Serve high-value foods like meat as individually plated,
appropriately sized servings, rather than in a pan for guests toportion themselves.
• Display signage about your event’s commitment to reducing
food waste near the buffet to keep responsible consumption topof-mind.
Food that has been out on the event floor typically does
not meet health regulations for donating or serving to anothergroup (though regulations may vary by location). Therefore, it’s
important to keep as much food as possible safely back-of-house
under appropriate temperature control until it is truly needed.
Bringing out food on an as-needed basis allows more food to be
viable for a caterer to reuse internally (such as incorporating leftover veggies into tomorrow’s soup) or donate to a hunger-relief
organization.
Request the following service methods to reduce food wastefrom the end of a buffet.
• Allow pans and trays of food to fully diminish before refreshing. Use creative décor, dishware and arrangements to make thebuffet look attractive even when food has diminished.
• Serve smaller quantities of each food at once and refresh only
as needed.
• Shift some menu items to a cook-to-order format to prevent
overproduction, particularly near the end of buffet time.

Tips for Plated Meals
While plated meals often generate less food waste than buffets,
they can still be a significant source. One of the biggest driversof food waste for plated meals is pre-setting. In event food waste
audits, pre-set items such as salads and desserts are often themost common items that are thrown away untouched.
Pre-setting food at every seat guarantees a certain amount offood waste for every no-show and buffer seat because preparedfood that has been sitting on the table without temperature
control is typically not suitable to recover. If you must pre-set,consider pre-setting at only 80 percent of the available seats toencourage density and reduce wasted food, with servers bringing
out items for the latest-arriving guests as needed.
Pre-setting also incorrectly assumes that every guest can eat

every dish, with no consideration of dietary restrictions. Salads
and desserts often contain dairy, nuts, gluten and other common
allergens or animal products. To avoid potential health hazards
and ensure the majority of guests can consume them, design any
pre-set items to align with all reported dietary restrictions inyour group, or use assigned seating to ensure each seat is pre-set
with the appropriate items.

Pre-setting incorrectly
assumes that every guest
can eat every dish, with noconsideration of dietary
restrictions.
Another way to reduce food waste from plated meals is to ensure
guests with dietary restrictions receive clear instructions for
how to obtain the appropriate food. The meeting industry has
become much better about collecting dietary needs up-front
during registration. However, execution onsite is less consistent,
often with no clear signage or instructions. If guests are confused
and unable to obtain the food they requested, it results in bothfood waste and an unhappy, hungry guest. Reiterate the process
for claiming special meals both in your “know before you go”
communications and at onsite registration and ensure banquet
staff are adequately trained.

Service Ware
Finally, meeting professionals can reduce additional waste thatcomes from food service by choosing reusable dishware, glassware and utensils. Reusable items have a lower environmental
impact than their disposable counterparts if they are used morethan a handful of times and washed efficiently. Dishware used byvenues, caterers and event rental suppliers is often used dozens
of times a year for many years and washed in efficient commercial dishwashers.
Reusable dishware is safe to use even amid the pandemic.
The Sustainable Event Alliance released a guidebook to help
event professionals confidently and safely implement reusables
both in regular circumstances and in situations of heightened
health concern.
If reusable dishware is not available, compostable food service
supplies are preferable to landfill-bound disposables if an appropriate collection and disposal program for compost is in place.

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Diverting Surplus Food and Food Scraps to
Sustainable Uses
Even with prevention strategies in place, events are likely to generate some food waste. However, it doesn’t have to be destinedfor landfill. There are multiple alternative outlets for surplus
food and food scraps. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has organized these outlets into the Food Recovery
Hierarchy, ranking uses for surplus food from most preferred toleast preferred.
At the top is source reduction, meaning it’s best to prevent
surplus food generation in the first place. The second-most
preferred solution is to feed hungry people by donating surplus
food.
Donation
Many caterers already have donation relationships with local
food pantries, shelters or other hunger relief organizations.
In your RFPs and initial conversations, express your desire to
donate surplus food and ask if the caterer already has existing
donation contacts.
If your caterer doesn’t already have a food donation program,ask them to start one and provide resources to help. In the U.S.,
the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects
donors from liability when donating food to nonprofit organizations for ultimate distribution to individuals in need. Additional
information about food donation laws, tax incentives and potential barriers in 14 countries can be found online in the Global
Food Donation Policy Atlas. Share a copy of relevant legislation

with your caterer to help them navigate any liability concerns.
Different organizations have different capacities for the types
and amounts of foods they accept. For example, food pantries
that distribute grocery items may only be able to accept packaged foods. Organizations that serve hot meals may be more
prepared to accept surplus prepared food. Recipients may also
be limited by their storage capacity.
Pre-planning food donation is vital, especially when working
with a new recipient organization. Prior to the event, even if potential donation quantities are unknown, talk to your donation
partner about logistics, including the following.
• What types of food can they accept or not accept?
• Do food donations need to be packaged or labeled a certainway?
• When and how will pick-up or drop-off occur? (Dependingon when the handoff occurs, food may need to go into cold storage, so your caterer may need to plan to have fridge or freezer
space available.)• Which party will measure and report the amount of food
donated?
These conversations will likely happen directly between the caterer and the donation partner. However, if you’re helping a caterer adopt a new program, follow up to ensure the details havebeen handled and initiate conversations, if needed. If logistics
aren’t discussed until the last minute, the donation partner may
not have the capacity to receive your surplus food.
Animal Feed
Feeding animals is the most preferred use of certain types offood scraps that are not suitable for human consumption. Regulations for feeding food scraps to animals vary by country andregion/state/province, and some scraps are not suitable for use
as animal feed. Contact an expert at the local solid waste agency,
agricultural extension office or public health agency to learn
about options.
Industrial Use/Anaerobic Digestion
The next notch down on the Food Recovery Hierarchy is industrial use, including rendering, conversion to biodiesel andanaerobic digestion. Anaerobic digestion is a method of breaking
down organic waste in sealed tanks, resulting in two useful end
products—biogas for energy and solid digestate used as fertilizer.
Anaerobic digesters can be found at cattle or dairy farms,
some wastewater treatment plants or standalone facilities. SomeSUSTAINABLE F&B: YOUR GUIDE TO ECO-FRIENDLY MEALS

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venues, such as McCormick Place in Chicago, have installed a
Grind2Energy system that grinds food waste into a slurry foreasy transport to an anaerobic digester. Ask your venue or caterer if they have access to an anaerobic digester as an outlet forfood scraps.
CompostMore and more event professionals are becoming familiar withcomposting to put food scraps to sustainable use. Composting is
the process of collecting different types of organic waste in thecorrect ratios and allowing the mix to break down over time inpiles, rows or vessels. This process releases a lower amount ofmethane, a potent greenhouse gas, than is released when organic
waste breaks down in landfills. The finished product, compost,
is used to enhance soil quality. Ask your venue or caterer if they
have a composting program or access to a local composting
facility.

A comprehensive food waste program may incorporate morethan one of these diversion streams. For example, the Virginia
Beach Convention Center combines source reduction, donation and composting in its waste diversion program.
“Our approach is to be as accurate as possible when planning, purchasing and preparing for the number of guaranteed
guests to help reduce waste on the front end,” Williamson says.
“We utilize the Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and theEastern Shore, a member of the Feeding America network, as
our main donation partner. When we anticipate having excess
food from events, we contact them immediately so they canplan to pick-up the donations as soon as possible.”“When circumstances arise that prevent us from being able
to donate, we compost the food waste along with all production and trim waste during the food preparation process,”
Williamson adds. The Center’s robust waste diversion program
contributes to its LEED Gold certification for Operations andMaintenance, which it has held since 2010.
Food waste diversion presents a great opportunity for meeting professionals to measure their impact and tell the storiesof their events’ support for environment and local community.
Venues and caterers can provide measurement data, but it’s
important to convey that request early so suppliers can implement processes to separate and measure the waste from specific
events.

Food waste diversion
presents a great
opportunity for meeting
professionals to measure
their impact and tell thestories of their events’support for environment
and local community.
“Almost everything is tracked on a building scale as awhole, so it’s difficult to be able to say ‘this amount of material
was recycled from this one event,’ unless arrangements are
made ahead of time,” says Kimberlee Dobbins, sustainability
coordinator at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
As food waste becomes a greater concern to more meeting professionals, a growing number of suppliers focused onfood waste are emerging in the space. If your venue or caterer
doesn’t have an in-house process for diverting food waste, athird-party event waste diversion supplier can help design andexecute a short-term food recovery program for your meeting.

Looking Ahead
Sharing food and drink is a staple of human gatherings. As society grapples with the climate crisis and other environmental
challenges, sustainable food and beverage service will be vitalfor the meeting industry to remain relevant and aligned withthe values of stakeholders and attendees.
“I see this as the only way forward in the industry,” says
Desser at catering company Well Dunn. “Sustainability has toimprove for the industry to move along with the way the rest of
the world is moving. This is a worldwide issue, so to put yourhead in the sand and ignore it is short-sighted.”
From supporting local businesses to preserving a destination’s ecosystem, making sustainable food and beverage choices
can help your event leave a positive legacy. Dobbins emphasizes that tourists and locals alike enjoy Virginia Beach’s natural
beauty and wildlife, “and it comes naturally to want to preservethat. We’ve strived to educate others on how you can still havemeetings and events, but in a way that preserves resources andprotects the environment that we all so much enjoy.”

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Resources
www.drawdown.org• Climate-solution research organization that ranks andexplains dozens of ways to combat climate change (World Resources Institute)www.wri.org/data/protein-scorecard• Compares plant- and animal-based foods on greenhousegas emissions per gram of protein  
www.seafoodwatch.org• Rating system based on rigorous, scientific standards forenvironmentally sound practices for aquaculture andfisheries• Eco-certification labels approved by Seafood Watch asequivalent to its Best Choice or Good Alternative ratings
www.seafoodwatch.org/recommendations/eco-certified-seafoodfishchoice.com• U.S.-based nonprofit offering a sustainable seafoodsourcing directory, tracking and reporting tools andinformation about fisheries working to improve social
responsibility  
• Global Best Practice Guidelines: ‘Reusables’ Hygiene
at Events thrive.sustainable-event-alliance.org/globalreusables-at-events-hygiene-standard• Research and best practices for safely and hygienically
implementing reusable dishware and glassware for events   
epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/food-recovery-challenge-results-and-award-winners• Case studies of various U.S. companies, institutions andorganizations that have successfully reduced food waste  
www.dinegreen.com/results• Directory of restaurants and caterers that are certified by
the Green Restaurant Association atlas.foodbanking.org/country-research.html• Food donation laws and tax incentives for 14 countries

Julia Spangler Owner, Ecosystem Events
Julia Spangler helps organizations and event professionals reduce the environmental impact of their events in orderto preserve our planet and deliver powerful sustainability results. As the owner of Ecosystem Events, Julia specializes in reducing & diverting waste at meetings and events. Julia’s experience ranges from conventions and banquets
to festivals and concerts. She has led waste diversion programs at events with up to 24,000 attendees, and her
programs have resulted in waste diversion rates as high as 93%. Julia is a proud member of MPI and was therecipient of MPI’s RISE Award for Young Professional Achievement in 2019. She is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.

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About Meeting Professionals International
When we meet face-to-face, it empowers us to stand shoulder-to-shoulder. That’s why MPI strives tolead the world in education, networking and innovative solutions that advance not only the meetingand event industry, but the careers of the professionals in it.
Through MPI’s global network of local chapters, we activate, educate, support and connect the connectors—people who are passionate about bringing people together. MPI serves the entirety of themeeting and event industry, regardless of need, audience or specialization. MPI delivers leadershipand education that are not only credible—they’re actionable. We empower our community to visualize and execute one-of-a-kind experiences that inspire people to evolve their outlooks, reexamine
their preconceptions and take positive action.
Because when we meet, we think in ways previously unthought. Because when we meet, we breakthrough barriers that kept us apart. When we meet, we change the world.®
For more information, visit MPI.org.

About Virginia Beach CVB
Virginia Beach may be all about soft sands and ocean waves, but planning your meeting here puts you
right on solid ground. You’ll enjoy not only the full support of our team of meeting professionals—
devoted to the details that make your event a success – but an entire network of hotels, restaurants,
venues, attractions and services ready to pitch in. From big events at the LEED® Gold Certified Virginia
Beach Convention Center to roundtable sessions with an ocean view, your style of meeting is at the topof our agenda. Bring your meeting to life in Virginia Beach.
vbmeetings.com.