Reducing Waste in Senior Living Communities
Consider this staggering statistic: More than 33 million tons of food end up in U.S. landfills daily, enough to fill the Rose Bowl Stadium. According to the all-items Consumer Price Index (CPI), a measure of economy-wide inflation, food prices rose 3.2% from February 2023 to February 2024. Finding ways to reduce food waste has become more important than ever.
Beyond the expense, food waste also greatly impacts environmental sustainability and resource conservation. Sodexo’s WasteWatch powered by Leanpath offers a solution for senior living communities, demonstrating that cutting food waste reduces costs and aligns with the values of stewardship and sustainability.
Knollwood Life Plan Community, a 251-bed facility in Washington, D.C., is experiencing great success with WasteWatch by Leanpath. By diligently monitoring the most significant causes of food waste — overproduction, expiration, trim waste, handling, poor cooking and spoilage — Knollwood has managed to prevent over $54,000 worth of food waste. This achievement underscores the quantifiable impact that conscientious management can have, not only on the bottom line but also on the environment.
“It’s exciting to realize we can make a big difference in a relatively short amount of time,” said Alexander Hernandez, Sodexo Seniors’ District Manager. “These numbers are motivating to the entire Knollwood Community team and keep us watching for additional ways to reduce waste.”
For Knollwood, a not-for-profit organization, WasteWatch by Leanpath’s benefits resonate deeply with its commitment to stewardship. Remi Ackerman, Knollwood's Executive Director, emphasizes the importance of responsible resource management as integral to their core values. Through WasteWatch by Leanpath, Knollwood prevented approximately 27,000 pounds of food waste, saved the equivalent of 27,400 meals, conserved the equivalent of more than 300,000 bathtubs of water, and avoided roughly 83 metric tons of carbon emissions.
The effectiveness of WasteWatch by Leanpath, along with its ease of implementation and use, makes it an attractive solution for businesses across various sectors. By employing basic tools like scales and visual displays, WasteWatch by Leanpath allows kitchen staff to track food waste, identify trends and set reduction goals. More than 2,025 Sodexo sites in 30 countries use WasteWatch by Leanpath, and its impact is substantial: In North America alone, WasteWatch by Leanpath has prevented over 12.7 million pounds of food waste, valued at more than $15.4 million, since 2015.
The success of WasteWatch by Leanpath at Knollwood attests that reducing food waste in senior living communities is not only feasible but also economically beneficial. By empowering communities and businesses to implement proactive strategies, WasteWatch by Leanpath paves the way for a more sustainable future. For senior living communities, the cost savings and environmental impact are significant. Learn how you can implement WasteWatch by Leanpath in your community by reaching out to Sodexo Seniors today.