How Can The Food Made Good Standard Help My Business Succeed?
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"Sustainable gastronomy [...] means cuisine that takes into account where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown and how it gets to our markets and eventually to our plates." – UN
To mark Sustainable Gastronomy Day, we're going back to basics to share how the Food Made Good Standard – our global sustainability accreditation – supports restaurants and other F&B businesses in delivering sustainable food to our plates and building resilient, future-fit operations.
first things first: What is the Food Made Good Standard?
Developed by The Sustainable Restaurant Association, the Food Made Good Standard is the only global sustainability accreditation developed especially for the hospitality industry. Taking a 360-degree, holistic approach to what sustainability should mean in today’s world, the Standard evaluates a business across three pillars: Sourcing, Society and Environment. You can learn more about this Framework here, or meet the experts who contributed to its development here.
Read on to discover how being certified with the Food Made Good Standard delivers real business benefits!
How can the Food Made Good Standard help my business succeed?
The Standard helps guide you in developing your sustainability strategy and is designed to encourage and support you in a process of continuous improvement.
- Using our Food Made Good Framework helps you to manage and prioritise your actions. The tailored report provided at the end gives your business a ready-made action plan to embed positive changes into your operations, building a thriving, future-fit business in the process.
- We’re here to help: our team of sustainability consultants is here to offer guidance on your sustainable practices, providing your business with expertise that can help you achieve your goals.
- Achieving the Standard also gives you access to a valuable network and makes you part of a global movement for change. As part of the Food Made Good community, you can share, learn and collaborate with a network of like-minded professionals committed to creating a positive future. This includes our online Community portal as well as access to new resources, toolkits and events – all developed to support the businesses with whom we work.
It matters that the FMG Standard was designed especially for the hospitality industry.
- There are lots of solutions out there, but the Food Made Good Standard is the only one specifically tailored to fit the needs of the hospitality industry.
- Most of our team comes from a hospitality background and we understand the industry. We know restaurants are incredibly busy and operating within a high-pressure landscape. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a fine dining restaurant or a high street chain; the FMG Standard breaks big-picture objectives down into real, tangible actions that you can implement within your existing operation.
- Read more here about why F&B businesses need a sustainability accreditation that’s just for them.
The Food Made Good Standard helps your brand look great –– in a way that is transparent, honest and never includes greenwashing.
- The Standard is an independent, third-party accreditation that is evidence-driven and rewards tangible, measurable action – providing your business with real credibility when it comes to discussing your sustainability initiatives.
- This certification helps you share the details of your progress with the wider world in a credible and honest way.
- Accreditation shows that your business is committed to genuine environmental and social responsibility, which can enhance your reputation with customers, staff, investors and other stakeholders.
- With more consumers choosing to dine at sustainable restaurants and demanding eco-friendly practices from the brands they support, accreditation can help your business stand out from the crowd.
- Our Marketing & Communications team is ready to celebrate your achievements and can assist in everything from press releases to collaborative social media content, helping you talk about your Standard in a meaningful way.
Deliver better results for your stakeholders and prove that sustainable businesses are successful ones.
- Sure, sustainability involves some investment –– but over time, it has a positive impact on that all-important bottom line. Sustainable practices can help your business reduce costs through initiatives such as energy and water efficiency and by reducing food waste.
- At the same time, you can see increased revenue as more customers choose a brand they can trust to do the right thing.
- You can read more here about how making sustainability a priority can have a positive effect on your bottom line.
The Standard gives peace of mind to your customers.
- A credible third-party certification makes your establishment an easier choice for eco-conscious diners. Today’s customers are increasingly concerned about responsible food production and how their dietary choices affect both their own health and that of the planet.
- People want to know where their food comes from and how it was grown, caught, farmed or produced. The FMG Standard encourages you to seek transparency in your supply chains and celebrate provenance on your menus, providing clarity for your customers and empowering them to make informed decisions about the food they eat.
Being certified as a business that is actively improving its sustainability credentials can help when it comes to staffing.
- Corporate ethics matter to job-seekers –– more and more, people want to work for businesses that have a positive effect on the world around them. This is especially true as more people from Generation Z enter the workforce.
- Transparent and measurable sustainability initiatives can make your restaurant, hotel, bar, café or catering service a more appealing place to work, helping with attraction and recruitment.
- Part of the ‘Society’ part of the Standard is treating staff fairly; our businesses are encouraged and supported in creating a truly great place to work. This has a big impact on retention figures –– and keeping staff members on board for the long term is cheaper (and easier) than training new employees.
Be one step ahead of environmental legislation and build a resilient, future-proof operation.
- Not only does completing the Food Made Good Standard provide guidance as to how you can keep improving your sustainability, but as part of our network you’ll also have access to a range of resources designed to ensure you’re prepared for legislative changes coming down the line.
- This avoids any potential for costly legislative pitfalls while also making sure you’re ahead of the curve – giving you an edge over your competitors.
Do better for both people and planet –– so that we all benefit from a brighter future.
- The Food Made Good Standard takes a comprehensive approach to sustainability, encompassing social sustainability, responsible sourcing practices and ways to reduce your waste and your carbon, water and energy footprints.
- By implementing sustainable practices across this 360-degree spectrum, your business can have a positive impact on the environment and local communities. You’ll be part of an exciting movement that’s building more sustainable food systems for our shared future, benefiting not just your business, but all of us.
Ready to explore how the Standard can help your business? Drop us a line at standard@thesra.org with any questions, or read about the process here.