Alsea, the leading restaurant operator in Latin America and Europe, shares the pillars of its sustainability strategy, which it seeks to impact the gastronomic sector throughout the South American region and globally.
“At Alsea we reiterate our commitment to be a benchmark for sustainability in the gastronomy industry, promoting policies and actions that generate positive impacts on our teams, clients and community,” highlights Mercedes Chalela, Sustainability and External Communications Manager for Alsea in South America.
Taking into account the above, the company's sustainability strategy is divided into three axes:
Within the growth pillar, all the actions carried out by Alsea are contemplated, focused on the preferences of a client who increasingly values responsible practices and seeks companies that reflect their values and concerns, such as product innovations, responsible labeling and advertising practices, and the constant search to be at the forefront of sustainable practices. For example, in Colombia, so far this year, Alsea has reduced the waste of more than 8.4 tons of food, contributing to strengthening the food security of the more than 1.1 million people served by the Colombian Food Banks nationwide.
The development pillar seeks to promote programs that foster employability and food security through educational initiatives and programs that contribute to combating hunger, as well as fostering the comprehensive development of its employees, improving their working conditions to ensure a fair, inclusive,
diverse, dignified and safe work environment. Alsea in South America has a team of almost 15,000 employees in which first-time employment opportunities are provided and people are encouraged to develop within the company by promoting their talent.
Within this pillar there are also initiatives that join forces in the fight against hunger, where companies such as Alsea understand that there is much that can be done to contribute, such is the case of its Va por mi Cuenta program, an initiative that was born in 2012 in Mexico and is part of a global impact strategy that currently operates in Mexico and Colombia. During the first half of 2024, Alsea, together with its three brands in the country, Domino's Pizza, Starbucks and Archies, its collaborators and clients have donated more than USD 30,000 to different projects linked to the Fight against Hunger.
Finally, the balance pillar focuses on promoting and encouraging environmental care through the efficient use of resources such as energy, water, supplies and waste management, seeking to minimize the environmental impact of its operations. For example, one of the company's most important projects to improve the environmental impact of its operation is the establishment of a model for the design and construction of all future stores. It includes sustainability criteria based on the highest international standards in sustainable design and construction. 15 stores in Colombia have solar panels, reaching 274 installed, equivalent to the reduction of 6.8 tons of CO2 in the first half of 2024.
In this way, Alsea continues to strengthen its strategy to mark a lasting change that contributes to ensuring a more sustainable and responsible future in the communities and environment where it operates.
Source: Alsea.