Attracting customers with sustainable business practices

Q&A with Sodexo’s Head of Responsible Sourcing for North America, Sévrine Bethy

How can you cater to customers who are increasingly concerned about the environment and want to support businesses that share their values?

According to Sodexo’s Head of Responsible Sourcing for North America, Sévrine Bethy, the choices you make for your business can have a big impact on your customers and on the environment. Here’s how you can get started with finding sustainable products for your foodservice or hospitality-driven business.

1. What is the best strategy for hospitality businesses who want to be eco-conscious but may not have the budget to make big changes throughout their business?
   
   “First, set your goals and decide what is non-negotiable for your company and important to your customers,” said Bethy. “Whether it’s social equity, local sourcing, using less packaging or healthier ingredients with plant-based offers, you can make a big impact by starting small and offering what your customers care most about. By taking small steps you have more chances to get to where you want to be.
   
   “Secondly, think collaboratively. Collaboration – with your suppliers, clients and consumers, expert organizations, and your industry peers – is a key lever of success. It helps to understand and address the challenges in the entire value chain.”
   
   Get more tips from Entegra’ s report: Making sustainability profitable for business.
    
2. How can foodservice operators get customers to care more about sustainability?
   
   “You can’t force consumers to make a choice just because we would find that choice to be one we would make. A long-term transformation of the food system is needed. That's why the work starts with education – greater awareness at the beginning of the consumption journey. Luckily, we are now seeing concrete examples with the younger generation, where Gen Z is willing to pay more for sustainable products or socially equitable practices. Our responsibility is to make sure we conduct our business in a way where we contribute to protect and restore natural ecosystems while we contribute to the livelihood of millions of people in our operations and supply chains.”
    
3. How do we evaluate suppliers on their sustainability and corporate social responsibility practices?
   
   “Entegra is a founding member of the Hospitality Alliance for Responsible Procurement (HARP). To partner with the best-in-class suppliers and create more resilient and sustainable supply chains, Entegra enrolls its suppliers in the EcoVadis platform which scores suppliers based on a range of sustainability metrics.
   
   ​“The resulting sustainability scorecards and insights, shared by suppliers through the EcoVadis platform, allows HARP members to better gauge their supply chain's sustainability performance and make choices based on measurable sustainability goals and guidelines.”

Are you ready to tackle your CSR initiatives and work with a partner who can advise you on the best path to achieve your goals? Contact us to get started.