LightBlue: Accredited Consultant Secures First US-Based Restaurants in Getting Certified the PLEDGE
Michigan, United States - 19 September, 2023 - Seven Michigan restaurants: three Oakland University dining halls managed by Chartwells, Alchemi, Johnny’s Speakeasy, Sylvan Table, and Folk Detroit made significant headlines by being the first in the U.S. to receive the international food waste prevention certifications from The PLEDGE™ on Food Waste, thanks to the guidance and training by Accredited Consultants like Danielle Todd.
“We brought The PLEDGE™ to Detroit because the program takes a preventative approach to food waste,” said Danielle Todd, Executive Director of Make Food Not Waste. “If you want to see the greatest impact on your bottom line and the environment, you have to focus on preventing food waste from happening in the first place.”
The PLEDGE™ is a global, third-party verified certification tackling food waste by encouraging food service businesses to monitor and reduce waste, implementing new procedures to improve efficiency, and establish new standards of excellence to differentiate and gain a competitive advantage for their restaurant. The PLEDGE™ includes 95 Criteria required to be certified Bronze, Silver, Gold or All-Star.
"It truly is a win-win for restaurants," Danielle Todd concludes. "This initiative marks a significant win for the restaurant industry, demonstrating that sustainability practices can be both profitable and planet-friendly."
During this project, one restaurant saw a 4% drop in food costs. Another adopted new practices such as repurposing unused trimmings into a new appetizer, generating $6k in the first quarter. All restaurants reported a dramatic increase in employee engagement, a strong indicator that staff members are highly receptive to incorporating new sustainability practices.
This significant achievement through The PLEDGE™ Certification process wouldn’t have been possible without leveraging the specific knowledge, robust methodology and actionable tools that is provided through The PLEDGE™ Accredited Consultant Program.
Designed for Consultants in F&B, Hospitality or Sustainability, Corporate Sustainability Officers, and Managers of Food Waste Solution companies, this technical training strengthens and equips consultants to confidently accompany their customers through The PLEDGE™ global certification process.
“This really should be the standard and will be the standard for any good kitchen,” stated Craig Kuhlmann, General Manager of Alchemi and Johnny’s Speakeasy upon being certified The PLEDGE™.
With ACs like Danielle Todd leading the way, the path forward for consultants looking to strengthen their portfolio with sustainability is clear.
For those aspiring to make a meaningful difference in their careers and on the world, reserve your seat for this program here:
About The PLEDGE™ Accredited Consultant Program:
A technical traineeship to strengthen your career as a Food Waste Consultant. Acquire specific knowledge, coupled with robust methodology and actionable tools, to confidently accompany your customers through The PLEDGE™ global certification process.
About The PLEDGE™ on Food Waste
The PLEDGE™ is a Singapore-based third-party certification and benchmarking system which allows restaurants, hotels, and cafeterias to reduce food waste, reduce costs, gain recognition, and nurture the local ecosystem of solution providers.