Waste No Food: Rosewood Phnom Penh

Clear policies and measurable results 

Rosewood Phnom Penh has made significant strides in food waste reduction through introducing clear policies, measurable results and innovative initiatives; having this waste reduction strategy in place guides the team’s actions by providing direction and vision. The hotel has set a goal of achieving a minimum 70% waste diversion rate per month, with progress monitored regularly. To meet this target, team members are actively encouraged to participate in new initiatives, ensuring a process of continuous improvement. Seyha notes that a successful waste reduction strategy is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution: “It requires continuous tracking, monitoring and evaluation, along with ongoing engagement from our associates.” 

Rosewood Phnom Penh has implemented several strategies to reduce food waste:  

Seyha is particularly proud of the hotel’s 100% zero waste menu. “Our culinary team repurposes commonly discarded ingredients into new dishes, maximising our use of raw materials,” she explains. “I’m also really happy with our sustainable sourcing and our commitment to buying local and seasonal produce. We work directly with local farmers and producers to minimise the distance our food travels.” By limiting the risk of damage/spoilage, this not only serves to reduce food loss and waste at the source, but Seyha says the quality of their ingredients is also far better. 

The challenges of reducing food waste 

Seyha says that the biggest hurdle that Rosewood Phnom Penh team faced at the start of this journey was how to raise awareness and engagement within the team. “Knowledge about waste management was limited among our associates. We needed to start basic training from the beginning, and it took some time for them to process and adapt new habits. Now, they’re equipped with practical strategies to minimise waste, and they feel inspired to get involved.” 

The waste reduction strategy and goals are clearly communicated to everyone within the organisation. “This ensures that all team members are on the same page, and inspires innovative ideas for reducing waste and improving quality,” she says. Staff members are empowered to share their ideas and provide feedback, taking ownership of their daily tasks. “We actively invite associates to participate in our initiatives. This encourages them to think creatively about minimising waste and making the most of our raw materials.”  

Supply chain coordination posed another challenge. As Seyha points out, reducing waste can be a complex journey, as it requires the involvement of external stakeholders as well as internal. “We needed to build good relationships with our supply chain and work closely with them, providing clear expectations and sharing good practices that we need them to adopt.” 

The benefits of reducing food waste  

Having found ways to overcome these challenges, Seyha tells us that the results of their food waste initiatives have been overwhelmingly positive. “We’re now making use of materials that we would previously have wasted. This has significantly reduced our disposal costs and lowered our overall operating expenses, as well as decreasing our contributions to landfill. Combined with proper inventory management practices, these initiatives have improved our operational efficiency and productivity, too, allowing us more space to focus on delivering high-quality service to our customers.”  

Customers are impressed, too. “Our guests appreciate our initiatives and we’ve had excellent feedback. Our commitment to reducing waste demonstrates our overall commitment to sustainable practices —strengthening our brand positioning and fostering customer loyalty and trust. This work is empowering us to become a leader in sustainability within the industry and setting us apart from our competitors.” 

What’s more, their sustainable sourcing strategy has helped to strengthen their relationships with local producers. “By emphasising the importance of local and seasonal produce, this has contributed to a stronger sense of place. We can use good quality and fresh produce and we’re also supporting the local economy. Our hotel and our community are enriching one another.” 

What’s next for Rosewood Phnom Penh?  

Seyha says that improving collaboration in the supply chain is key to increase their impact in waste reduction, creating a wider ripple effect. “We’re working on expanding our impact, and we have a few ways of doing this. As we build stronger partnerships with our suppliers, local farmers and producers, we’re encouraging better resource management and practices and creating more efficient systems. It’s important to remember that we’re not the only business they supply — each supplier has many other partners across the country, so they can become ambassadors and influence change in other businesses.” Through this focus on collaboration, Rosewood Phnom Penh continues to set industry standards for responsible hospitality. 

She notes, too, the importance of educational campaigns to spread the message further. “Education is essential to expand our impact. By raising awareness and encouraging responsible consumption both inside the business and externally, we can drive behavioural change and create more demand in the market for sustainable hospitality.” The third part of the plan is the integration of technology. “We plan to implement real-time waste tracking systems to further reduce our food waste.” 

Food Made Good at Rosewood Phnom Penh 

To benchmark its efforts, Rosewood Phnom Penh adopted the Food Made Good Standard, our globally recognised sustainability certification. “This third-party audit provides measurable insights into waste reduction, sustainable sourcing, ethical operations and community support,” Seyha says, explaining the benefits the Standard has brought to the hotel. “The Standard validates the hotel’s sustainability efforts on an international scale, identifies areas for improvement beyond our existing initiatives, and helps to reinforce Rosewood Phnom Penh’s position as a leader in sustainable hospitality.” 

Learn more about sustainability strategies at Rosewood Phnom Penh here! Interested in finding out how the Food Made Good Standard can help your business find direction and celebrate your sustainability wins? Read more here or drop Will a line with any questions at will@thesra.org.   

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