Foodbuy and the Institute of Hospitality launch partnership to champion food sustainability

13 July 2021

We’re delighted to announce that we have become the newest member of the Institute of Hospitality (IOH) business partner family. Through the partnership we aim to foster a deeper knowledge and appreciation of food sustainability among hospitality business owners, operators, suppliers and professionals.

The Institute of Hospitality is the leading international professional body for current and aspiring leaders and managers in the hospitality industry. Through the partnership, we will work together to create and disseminate information and advice on the environmental impact of a more sustainable food system.

Our parent company, Compass Group UK and Ireland, is the first foodservice company in the UK to have published a Net Zero plan, having signed up to the UN’s Race to Zero campaign which aims to rally a coalition of businesses, cities, regions and investors around the achievement of net zero carbon emissions by 2050 at the latest. With Compass committed to reaching Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, we are set to play a major role in meeting this target by focussing increasingly on local and seasonal ingredients and sourcing from regenerative agriculture practitioners, among other initiatives.

The Institute of Hospitality’s mission is to promote professionalism through lifelong learning. The Institute has consistently offered its 13,000-strong membership educational guidance and resources on contemporary issues impacting on business and careers, utilising its on-line platforms and increasingly, social media.

Karl Atkins, our chief operating officer, said, “We’re really excited to join the Institute of Hospitality family. For most businesses working in hospitality, a large proportion of their carbon impact sits within the supply chain, so we are in a really unique position to offer educational guidance, influence change and drive a more sustainable future for our industry and help create a more sustainable food system.”

Robert Richardson FIH, chief executive of the Institute of Hospitality said, “We’re delighted to welcome Foodbuy into our hospitality family. Our partnership means that the Institute, as an educational charity, will be able to share important knowledge and advice on food sustainability with our members. How we care for our environment impacts not only our businesses, how we operate today and plan for the future, but also the well-being and security of our teams and customers.”

Sarah Peters MIH, head of commercial development of the Institute of Hospitality, said, “We are excited to welcome Foodbuy as an Institute of Hospitality Business Partner in order to bring sustainability and food procurement into the spotlight. We are grateful to the team for their support of the Institute and the work we do, and we look forward to sharing their expertise and knowledge with our members over the coming months.”