WASHINGTON, D.C. — Hilton has committed to serving more climate-friendly foods to help reduce food-related greenhouse-gas emissions by signing on to the Cool Food Pledge, becoming the world’s first hotel group to do so. The company will initially roll out the effort in the 80 hotels it manages in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.
The Cool Food Pledge helps dining facilities track the climate impact of the food they serve, develop plans to sell dishes with smaller climate footprints, and promote their achievements as leaders in a growing movement.
“Last year, Hilton made a bold commitment to cut our environmental impact in half and double our investment in social impact by 2030,” says Daniella Foster, senior director Corporate Responsibility at Hilton. “The Cool Food Pledge is a great opportunity to join forces to set off a game-changing movement — for businesses, consumers and the precious resources that make the world a great place to live and travel.”
Hilton will work closely with World Resources Institute, which serves as secretariat of the Cool Food Pledge, to further its strategy for changing its food offerings. The company has already begun efforts on this front through reduced-meat menu offerings such as its Blended Burger, which substitutes 30 per cent of the patty’s beef foe mushrooms. Hilton is currently exploring ways it can expand such offerings, as well as continue to increase plant-based and vegetarian menu items; train its team members on sustainability and food; and raise awareness among its guests.
First announced at the Global Climate Action Summit in Fall 2018, the Cool Food Pledge is an initiative of World Resources Institute, UN Environment, Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, Health Care Without Harm, Practice Greenhealth and Climate Focus. Signatories commit to a collective target of reducing diet-related greenhouse-gas emissions associated with the food they provide by 25 per cent by 2030, relative to 2015. Further information is available at wri.org.
