International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Reduction 2024: Sands Pursues Comprehensive Methods To Reduce Food Waste

Published by Las Vegas Sands on September 24, 2024

On September 29, the United Nations observes International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Reduction 2024, which supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goal 12 focusing on responsible consumption and production. The day aims to raise awareness and inspire action to reduce food waste and loss, and improve sustainability in the world’s food production systems.

Food loss is a significant issue, as the U.N. estimates 13.2% of food produced globally is lost between harvest and retail, and 19% of total global food production is wasted in households, food service and retail venues, representing multiple tons of edible food going to waste. Making the issue even more critical, the U.N. also estimates the number of people affected by hunger has risen steadily since 2014.

Reducing food waste is a core focus area of the Sands ECO360 global sustainability program and a key part of Sands’ overall priority on managing waste. The company aims to achieve a 25% reduction in food waste by 2025.

“Food represents one of our most significant waste streams, and managing food waste is a top priority,” Katarina Tesarova, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, said. “Over the past year, we made significant progress in advancing toward our 2025 food waste reduction target through a variety of prevention, rescue and diversion programs.”

Sands’ commitment to addressing food waste focuses on two primary goals: minimizing food going to landfill and maximizing the value of food produced. To execute on these priorities, the company employs technology, processes, training and engagement, and measurement as key tools for managing the food life cycle.

Engaging Stakeholders

Sands’ food waste reduction strategy encompasses working with a variety of groups. To address food waste generated in Team Member dining rooms, Sands China improved processes to better handle food waste by rearranging sorting bins, and Marina Bay Sands upgraded tray cleaning and food sorting methods.

The regions also conducted Team Member education and engagement campaigns. Marina Bay Sands held a Food Waste Awareness Day and the Just Enough Challenge, while Sands China continued its quarterly plate waste challenge, which incentivizes food waste reduction by encouraging appropriate portion selections in Team Member dining rooms.

In addition, Sands’ resorts work with restaurant partners to responsibly handle food waste. At Marina Bay Sands, efforts include engaging with food court tenants to capture food waste in meal preparation, providing a coffee ground collection system and conducting engagement programs with leased outlets that produce food waste.

In Macao, Sands China has worked with restaurant partners at The Venetian^® Macao and The Londoner Macao^® to establish waste collection and disposal systems using the company’s food digesters.

Preventing Waste Through Alternative Uses

Another key reduction strategy is diverting usable food from going into waste streams by repurposing it in different methods. For example, Sands’ resorts partner with community organizations that help alleviate food insecurity for disadvantaged people.

Marina Bay Sands works with The Food Bank Singapore, and Sands China supports the Macau ECOnscious Community Fridge Project to provide regular donations of surplus food from catering operations and in-house kitchens. In 2023, Sands’ resorts donated over 9,000 kilograms of unserved food and 86,900 kilograms in total since 2014.

At the company’s Las Vegas headquarters, food waste from the Team Member café is segregated and diverted to a pig farm for alternate uses.

Accelerating to Zero Food Waste in Singapore

In Singapore, Marina Bay Sands is pursuing a multi-year program to divert 100% of its food waste. The resort has worked with more than 30 company-owned food and beverage outlets to understand kitchen operational challenges, improve accessibility to food waste bins, and increase dialogue and collaboration around food waste.

Building on these efforts, Marina Bay Sands introduced a monthly waste profiles program for 17 food and beverage outlets last year. The team conducted random sampling to capture daily food waste percentages, and monthly trend reports provided insights, encouraging responsibility around waste processing. After the program’s initiation, food waste diversion increased from 33% in January 2023 to 54% in December 2023.

Tackling Food Waste Challenges

Since returning to normal business levels in 2023, Sands’ resorts have generated more food waste, requiring new approaches to address the increase in volume. For example, when The Parisian Macao^® reopened the Le Buffet restaurant in 2023, the introduction of fresh coconut juice generated 3,000 used coconut shells per week – nearly 5% of the property’s food waste.

In exploring solutions, Sands China conducted trials to repurpose shells as mulch for landscaping. The team worked with local vendors that provided various mechanisms to process coconuts into small pieces for shredding into mulch.

Though trials determined the potential to produce significant amounts of mulch annually, the mulch bags provided to the landscaping team were much lighter than typical mulch, resulting in a higher re-fill rate. Sands China continues to work with vendors to explore mulching options, as well as opportunities to convert coconuts into other products that could be repurposed in its operations.

“We continually face new challenges and opportunities in our ongoing efforts to reduce food waste, but the multifaceted efforts we are pursuing have resulted in significant progress toward our 2025 target,” Tesarova said. “We also continually set new targets that stretch our impact, so our food waste program is an ongoing quest to do and achieve more through the core tenets of stakeholder engagement, innovation in our solutions and diligence in our processes.”

To learn about Sands’ other strategies to reduce waste and address environmental priorities, read the company’s 2023 ESG Report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/.