Conference News October 2021 | Page 35

35 Sustainability very transparent with delegates and with the event organisers .

“ Before each event , 15Hatfields allows its clients to submit final numbers for catering up until 4pm the day before , which allows room for delegate dropouts , but no room for over ordering and , therefore , food waste .”
15Hatfields also works closely with its clients to assess the delegate demographic , as some clients will consume more than others . “ By understanding the demographic , each delegate can receive a healthy portion size , such as one and a half sandwiches per-person , two finger items and a piece of fresh fruit ,” Campbell says .
Additionally , all its cold finger buffets are 50 % vegetarian and vegan , 30 % meat and 20 % fish . Taking this a step further , Campbell says : “ 15Hatfields encourages its clients to choose a 100 % vegan delegate rate , which positioned 15Hatfields as the first venue to launch this concept three years ago .”
If any food is left over , Campbell reveals the venue gives it to its staff members to take home . Alternatively , the leftover food is sent back to its supplier , Eden , who uses an ORCHA machine to recycle the food waste in a natural and environmentally friendly way , emphasising 15Hatfield ’ s commitment to having zero food waste at the end of each day .
Let ’ s Make Plastic History
Aside from priding themselves on zero food waste , 15Hatfields is also passionate about eliminating single use plastic . “ We were already so far ahead of the game . We have never used single use straws , cups , or
cutlery . We have always invested in stainless steel , proper glassware and cutlery ,” beams Campbell .
“ Yes , the quick wins are there , but I ’ m not shy to tackle difficult products and difficult solutions . We need to lead by example .”
This approach led 15Hatfield ’ s to launch its ‘ Let ’ s Make Plastic History ’ campaign in 2019 , which aimed to eliminate those difficult , single use plastics at the venue . For this campaign , 15Hatfields carried out a transparent case study for 12 different areas where plastic was still being used , he says , from food wrap and biscuit packaging to cutlery and detergent .
One of the venue ’ s biggest success stories was its change of tea bag brand . On average , the venue serves 400-600 cups of tea each day , which equates to a vast amount of plastic . So , the venue switched to Teapigs , a brand whose tea bags are made from corn starch and are fully compostable and whose inner packaging is made of Natureflex , a compostable material made from wood pulp . Campbell reminds us that , “ with a little bit of research , you can really create change .”
“ Like anything to do with sustainability , it ’ s not looking at the whole picture and trying to change the world . It ’ s about taking the small , individual steps ,” concludes Campbell . So , what small steps are you going to take ? CN www . conference-news . co . uk