Conclusions based on the fourth study objective

The fourth, and final, objective of the study was to propose a framework of recommendations that could be useful in terms of policy formulation or planning, and in terms of practical application in the context of food waste management, specifically in relation to hotel restaurants. The above objective was realised by way of conceptually aligning the results of the employees’ perceived attitudes and perceptions on food waste with those of the kitchen management, who informed the practices concerned, with an eye on developing and proposing a conceptual framework that could inform the food waste management initiatives within the hotels studied (see Figure 5.1 below). The proposed conceptual framework for food waste management, therefore, has three levels of relationship, as are illustrated in the figure. Within the framework, level one pertains to how employees’ perceptions and attitudes regarding food waste are informed by management practice, while simultaneously being informed by their own capabilities. The employee perceptions and attitudes also, in turn, affect the hotels’ ability to achieve their strategic goals relating to environmental, financial and social responsibilities.

Figure 5.1: The proposed conceptual framework to inform hotel food waste management

Source: Author’s own study findings.

Mission strategy & goals Gauteng Hotel Group

Capability & capacity Policy & procedures Higher purpose Vision Global view on food waste Employees 1 2 3 4 5 5 Management

A second set of relationships that the proposed conceptual framework presents is the alignment of objective three (in terms of current management practices and strategies currently being used in an effort to reduce the amount of food waste) within a broad policy management framework. While the employee perceptions and attitudes were informed by the kitchen management practices, so, too, was the management practice informed by employee capabilities and capacity, as well as by their general food waste perceptions and attitudes. The kitchen management practice, although informed by the hotel environmental, financial and social responsibility policy, as well as by their own perceptions and attitudes to food waste, and their capacity and capabilities, also impacted on the employees who largely looked to management for direction.

Finally, level three showed the broader relationship of the stakeholders concerned, not only to the hotel’s food waste policies and procedures, but also to the existence and the implementation of hotels within the broader global food waste agenda.

5.3 Recommendations

Based on the study findings made in the current study, the following recommendations are proposed in relation to the policy and procedures, the kitchen management practices, and the employee engagement linked to the food waste management endeavours.

Regarding the hotel policy and procedures

 Work policies and procedures impact on employee engagement with food waste, which, in turn, impacts on job performance and organisational commitment. Employee engagement can be enhanced or improved by means of focused food waste training and development, leadership, and compensation (recognition).

 Senior management can improve food waste policy practices by means of producing the food waste policy documents built on measurable standards supporting practices, guidelines and procedures with detailed steps. A well-designed food waste policy will, in turn, ensure that the kitchen managers are better equipped to implement effective food waste policies, and to measure their compliance through established standards.

 The research links stakeholder perceptions and attitudes to the overall organisational governance, confirming that for the environmental, financial and social responsibility policies to be implemented with any level of compliance within hotels, there needs to be on-going interaction between the stakeholders and policy developers. The above should, in turn, contribute to the hotel’s reputation within the context of environmental

and social responsibility, further helping with creating sustainable value for hotel governance.

 Within the social responsibility policy, adopting the following practices should help to ensure integration throughout the food-waste-generating and -handling hierarchy by means of:

– promoting the principles of employee accountability, transparency, and ethical behaviours;

– communicating regularly on food waste, as an integral part of social responsibility; – enhancing the credibility of food waste practices within the terms of social

responsibility practice; and

– reviewing and improving the hotel’s actions and practices related to food waste within the terms of social responsibility practice.

 People management should:

– ensure that a food waste policy is adopted by the upper levels of management in the hotel, and that compliance is obtained from all employees, regardless of their direct involvement with hotel food waste generation, or resolution;

– engage in upper management reviews of monthly waste audits, and prioritise cost saving and revenue generation in terms of food waste reduction practices;

– implement a programme that recognises the food waste reduction practices of, and the rewards for, employees who have contributed to food waste reduction practices; and

– deliver engaging training on food waste reduction practices, involving both the management and the employees.

 The food waste reduction training embarked upon should serve to:

– raise awareness of food waste as a problem, in terms of the environment, social responsibility, and the budget;

– establish a common context for the food waste skills and knowledge required; – create commitment and psychological ownership for the food waste issues

concerned; and

– encourage the staff to identify areas of food waste in their work environment, and to help develop measures to reduce the amount of food waste incurred.

Regarding the kitchen management practice

In an effort to reduce the amount of food going to waste, the kitchen management who are largely concerned with the food production and procurement could consider waste mapping and green purchasing, as discussed below.

Waste mapping

Waste mapping, which is increasingly being seen as a major strategy for reducing costs, and as a way forward towards business sustainability (Kurdve, Shahbazi, Wendin, Bengtsson & Wiktorsson, 2015), has been acknowledged as useful, as it identifies the sources and the various types of waste, as well as the quantities that are produced. Owen, Widdowson and Shields (2013) suggest that adopting such a strategy “allows you to investigate where and how waste arises, and [to] present this in a visual way that can help to identify hidden costs”. Such costs could include the costs incurred from the wastage of employee time, as well as the costs incurred in the procurement process. The waste mapping should consider the site, the types of waste, the activity maps, and the action plans involved.

Green purchasing

Kitchen management could also consider the option of green purchasing, which is, in a way, linked to waste mapping, with the strategy being equally aimed at reducing costs, while promoting sustainability. According to Urban SEED (2012), green purchasing involves the procurement of goods that have little or no impact on the environment and on the health of citizens. As hotel ‘greening’ considers ways in which the environment should be conserved, the combating of climate change, as well as the promoting of sustainability (Sucheran, 2013), ‘green’ food supplies should be procured, as doing so would help to reduce the amount of resource usage, as well as supporting the local and relatively small suppliers, while enabling the detection of enhanced purchasing choices and the promotion of recycling.

However, the above-mentioned recommendations should take cognisance of the involvement and full participation of the staff in the making of related improvements. Therefore, the kitchen management should seek ways to provide continuous training, and to encourage the staff members concerned in food waste management reduction practices. In terms of employee engagement, the principles that are entrenched in current employee engagement research, with an eye on designing suitable food waste practices that acknowledge the effect that individual food waste beliefs, together with the hotel food waste policies, can have on food waste behaviour, as the literature review in the current study suggests, could be used.