WasteWatch by Leanpath Leads to Real Sustainability Success

Fighting food waste is essential for our planet and our clients. One of those clients, a global biopharmaceutical company, is taking measurable steps to reduce its footprint by tracking food waste with the help of Sodexo's WasteWatch, powered by Leanpath. They have implemented this powerful food waste reduction tool at all 10 of their sites to record and reduce the amount of food that goes in the trash.

David Boyle, senior culinary director for the client, says that as a result of the program, people at his client site have become more cognizant of the amount of food that becomes waste and have gone above and beyond by composting inedible food or donating what can still be eaten. We're doing more than just weighing our waste, Boyle says.

Our Approach

Sodexo's WasteWatch by Leanpath is a streamlined way for clients to enhance sustainability efforts and reduce costs. The global program helps identify where food is wasted, then empowers everyone involved to mindfully reduce those practices.

It's simple to set up and put into action. Employees get a brief training on how to weigh food and track data with a WiFi-connected device, then they're ready to start. By weighing food waste and tracking its origin, the program enables teams to quickly and easily capture data that provides valuable insights.

We are realizing how much food we actually do waste, and we've changed how we prepare and clean our food. Are we cutting each pepper so that we get the most out of it? Where is that food going afterwards? Boyle says.

Driven by Data

The data generated by WasteWatch by Leanpath helps Boyle's team make decisions about how much food is needed and how to make the most of it, often leading to savings in food purchases. Between July and December 2022, the client saved $5,663.63 in food purchases that would have otherwise been wasted or donated.

WasteWatch makes everyone aware of their waste, and helps us consider what can be repurposed, Boyle says. It really is such a simple system, and anybody can use it. Once our employees saw that, they all bought in. That's the wonderful thing about WasteWatch — it's a no brainer if you can simplify the waste tracking process.

WasteWatch by Leanpath doesn't just track food; it makes it easier for frontline staff as well as operators to see where wasted food is coming from, whether it's from pre-production, post-production, salad bar leftovers, or even burned food. Before, we had to track it with our own spreadsheet. Now it's just automatic. You put the bucket of food on the scale, you push three buttons, and it takes care of it. I'm all for it, Boyle says.

Sodexo knows how important it is to prevent food waste. Our corporate food services keep your employees well-fed, sustainably. Learn more about our services.