What is a sustainable restaurant? There are many definitions, however we quite like this one by Andrew Stephen, Chief Exec of the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
“A truly sustainable food business is one that has a restorative impact on the land, and the people upon which it depends. Restorative in this context means that because the business operates, the land and the people touched along the way (all the way from famer and field to employee and diner) are left in a better place because of its existence”
Andrew Stephen’s comments accompanied the publication of a report by the Sustainable Restaurant Association called the Tastiest Challenge on the Planet. It highlights that whilst the UK restaurant sector may not use a significant amount of global resources the industry it represents, the foodservice sector, has higher carbon emissions than Costa Rica. The report is a call to arms for an industry which has a more negative impact on our environment than cars, plane travel or how we heat our homes.
What the report also highlights is the amazing potential our restaurant industry has to change attitudes when it comes to our eating habits. Our restaurants, the report cites, are more important influencers on our behaviour than social media. At a time when we need seismic shifts in social behaviour, how restaurants now react to the climate crisis, holds real and far-reaching significance.
The report goes on to provide detailed advice on how restaurants can become more sustainable. It focuses primarily on three areas, meat, food waste and plastic. The report concludes with the comment that there is much work to be done and has set the following challenge to restaurants and cafés across the UK.
Reduce the impact of the meals you serve by reducing the volume of:
- Meat on the menu
- Food in the bin
- Single-use plastic and packaging
As a specialist provider of insurance services for sustainable restaurants, here at Naturesave, we think that the UK’s restaurants are up for the challenge. Consumers, driven by the awareness of plastic pollution and the dire warnings from David Attenborough and Extinction Rebellion, are now demanding wholesale change. Those restaurants who take sustainability seriously are set to benefit. They are also set to help shape and influence a new set of food trends across the country.
We would love to talk to you and offer advice about your restaurant (whether already in existence or just an idea). Simply call us on 01803 869 775 Alternatively, details of the Sustainable Restaurant Insurance we offer can be found here.
We also have a Handy Tips Guide for Sustainable Restaurants that provides practical and specialist advice on how to insure your business.