To gain insight into how food waste and measurement is perceived within the hotel industry and guide development of food waste reduction strategies, WWF commissioned studies to gather qualitative data using interviews from hotel and lodging industry experts and thought leaders.
In one study, Dr. Tim de Waal Malefyt, anthropologist and clinical associate professor of marketing at Fordham University, digs into kitchen behavior and operational culture by conducting ethnographic interviews with key individuals in the food and lodging industry. Dr. Malefyt’s study suggests that hotel employee awareness is required to facilitate measurement and management of food waste, and that this awareness—and relevant training—should be a cultural priority for the entire industry if food waste reduction is to become a reality.
