Food Service Industry Prioritizes Plant-Based Proteins for Sustainability

In light of the urgent need to address climate change and promote sustainable practices in agriculture and other sectors, there is a growing realization that our food choices matter. Some people believe that switching from beef to chicken sufficiently addresses climate concerns when it comes to diet, but when compared to non-meat sources of protein, chicken production is still the source of significantly more greenhouse gas emissions. Plus, switching from the highest carbon meats to slightly lower carbon alternatives (from beef to chicken, for example) does not address the ethical dilemma of factory farming. In the end, raising animals at such a large scale poses significant problems, not least of which is the perpetuation of the danger of the spread of zoonotic disease, as we’re seeing with bird flu once again. And, of course, factory farming supports the food system status quo of massive animal suffering.

Food Reform and Plant-Based Alternatives

This reality underpins our approach to food reform, recognizing that changing this status quo is in the interests of our own species, other animals and the planet. We have been working with the food service industry for a decade to encourage the purchasing and serving of more plant-Based foods in place of animal products. In the U.S. alone, this industry serves billions of meals each year at schools, colleges, corporate headquarters, stadiums and public venues. In the course of our outreach, we’ve seen a range of positive outcomes. Simply put, eating more plant-Based meals means eating fewer animals—which dramatically reduces the amount of animal suffering in our food system. It also reduces the justification for a reckless approach to American agricultural production that involves raising billions of animals for food each year, polluting our air and water and using a tremendous quantity of land, water and other precious natural resources.

Sustainability Scorecard and Leading Companies

Creating a truly sustainable future means embracing plant proteins, and the companies that ranked the highest in our recently published Food Service Industry Protein Sustainability Scorecard are taking the right steps. The scorecard evaluates and recognizes food service companies that prioritize sustainability and animal welfare by offering more plant-based meals on their menus. The report focuses on three critical dimensions of effort to determine how much a food service company is doing when it comes to sustainability and alternative proteins: transparency, goals and a plan of action. We are driving meaningful change in the food industry by collaborating with these companies to incorporate plant proteins and reduce their reliance on animal products.

Company Statements

Here are a few of the top-ranked food service companies and what they had to say about their plant-based programs and our work with them:

• Sodexo: “Sodexo is committed to driving positive change in the food industry through responsible sourcing, plant-based eating, reducing food waste, and other sustainability initiatives.” —Sarosh Mistry, CEO of Sodexo North America
• Whitsons Culinary Group: “At Whitsons, we're dedicated to fostering a greener future. We believe that offering plant-based options is key to achieving sustainability goals, as it not only decreases our carbon footprint but also promotes healthier”