From garbage to garden - Recycling organic waste to contribute to a healthier planet

We're taking our composting efforts to the next level. Starting at our U.S. headquarters in Ridgefield, Connecticut, our employees can now compost their food waste when they finish a meal at any of our three cafeterias at this site. The material is then turned into nutrient-rich soil with the help of two local companies: Curbside Compost and New Milford Farms.

Together, we're helping reduce waste, improve soil health, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance nearby ecosystems and communities.

Our composting process

When employees finish a meal, they drop their tray off at a conveyor belt and our food services team takes care of the rest!

All food waste, compostable materials, recyclables, and other waste types are sorted in-house by trained staff. This includes kitchen waste, post-consumer food waste, certified compostable cups, and other paper products that come from the cafeterias.

Then, twice a week, Curbside Compost picks up the material and takes it to New Milford Farm. The farm specializes in transforming waste into nutrient-rich soil, which provides essential nutrients and minerals that allow plants to thrive.

See the composting in action! 

Protecting the planet

Our goal is to contribute to a healthier environment by naturally decomposing organic material opposed to sending the waste to landfills or incinerators. Turning our food waste from more than 2,000 employees into nutrient-rich soil not only reduces garbage disposal and our carbon footprint, but it also allows our local communities to grow healthier plants. The nutrients in the soil lead to more productive plants with better:

• Root development 
• Flower or fruit production 
• Soil structure 
• Water retention 

Composting is a simple and effective way to build a sustainable workplace and encourage eco-friendly habits across our organization that lead to a healthier world for generations to come. For instance, we’ve been composting kitchen waste and yard scraps that are used for landscaping to beautify the grounds at our Ridgefield site.

Our sustainability strategy

Finding ways to have a positive impact on the environment and local communities connect to the 'More Green" efforts of our Sustainable Development for Generations (SD4G) Strategy, which is our commitment to continue providing good health for people and animals, the planet, and society that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future.