Sands Highlights Sustainable Food Progress in Conjunction With United Nations Sustainable Gastronomy Day on June 18

While the United Nations has designated June 18 as Sustainable Gastronomy Day to raise awareness about the environmental and social impact of how food is grown, transported, served and disposed, Sands works to address these topics every day at its destination resorts around the world.

Sustainable gastronomy is a broad topic that encompasses everything from where meal ingredients are sourced to how they get to markets and eventually on and off plates. At Sands, sourcing and promoting sustainable food alternatives falls within the company’s overall commitment to minimizing the environmental impact of its operations.

As a result, the company’s global resorts have taken a number of steps to seamlessly blend five-star food experiences with incorporating sustainability into all facets of their food and beverage operations, from menu curation at catered events and Team Member dining halls to procuring food products with sustainable certifications such as organic, Fair Trade or Marine Stewardship Council. Sustainably managing food waste is also a key component of the global food strategy.

“With a topic as wide as sustainable gastronomy, no single solution can achieve full impact,” said Katarina Tesarova, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer. “We look at every part of the food chain – from procurement to preparation to food waste – to make impact in multiple ways. We also must balance achieving sustainability with the superior culinary experiences our guests expect, and we have made tremendous strides in doing so, even during the difficult times the pandemic brought.”

In 2021, Sands properties sourced 28% of coffee, tea and other beverages sustainably, and 30% of seafood purchased was through sustainable alternatives. Among the regions, Sands China added three new oyster products that meet World Wide Fund for Nature sustainability criteria and two organic yellowfin drum fish alternatives to menus. Sands China also is continuing its work to incorporate sustainably certified ingredients and vegetarian items in a number of restaurants.

In Singapore, Marina Bay Sands procured 41% of seafood and 53% of coffee from sustainable sources in 2021, while also collaborating with restaurant partners on their sustainability initiatives. At the award-winning restaurant Mott 32, staff spent months recreating several signature sustainable gastronomy dishes using only plants and meat alternatives. Mott 32’s plant-based menu is one of the first to marry true Cantonese cooking techniques with a sustainable approach to eating at a Chinese fine-dining destination.

In addition, Marina Bay Sands kicked off 2022 with “Vegan January,” in which 11 of its restaurants offered a special plant-based dish to usher in the new year. The resort’s focus on sustainable food options also extends to the Team Member dining room, where plant-based protein dishes are offered one day every week.

Managing food waste is also a key part of Sands’ sustainable food strategy, and efforts range from waste prevention to diversion strategies. Resorts work to keep food waste out of landfills through a myriad of steps, which include Team Member training, food production management and partnerships with local facilities to repurposing food products, such as cooking oil for use as biodiesel. Sands also recovers food from catered events for donation to community nonprofits that provide hunger relief, as well as to animal support organizations for their food supplies.

To learn more about Sands’ commitment to sustainable eating and dining, please download the 2021 Environmental, Social and Governance Report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/