F & B
HOW DID THAT
GET HERE ?
F & B OPERATIONS AIM TO LEVERAGE
THE ‘ NOT VERY
SEXY ’ – BUT VERY IMPORTANT – ROLE OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN SUSTAINABILITY .
Stories contributed by JEANETTE HURT
Rooftop gardens , onsite composting and even marine-friendly straws are all easier sells than supply chain sustainability . But according to experts , supply chain sustainability can be even more important .
“‘ We changed the behavior of this supplier to become more sustainable ’ is not very sexy ,” says Tom Eggert , senior lecturer on business sustainability at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and executive director of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council . “ But when you change the behavior of your suppliers , you ’ re reshaping an entire industry . The request you make also changes their behavior for other people who aren ’ t asking them to operate in a more sustainable way .”
Gary Wallach , director of food and beverage at Arlo Hotels in New York City , says it starts with talking . “ Everything ’ s done by computer , and sometimes people don ’ t even know who their ( supplier ) representative is ,” he says . “ You have to have conversations . It ’ s not the food and beverage business . It ’ s the relationship business .”
Wallach says he asks a lot of questions to
32 hotelsmag . com January / February 2019