Valencia Conference Centre strives for food sustainability at its events
In the spirit of Sustainable Gastronomy Day, celebrated on 18 June, Valencia Conference Centre wants to highlight the impact of food waste
On 18 June, we celebrate Sustainable Gastronomy Day. Food is a fundamental human right. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals sets out to end hunger as one of its aims. Valencia Conference Centre’s role is to raise awareness and to drive home its importance in the community. World Sustainable Urban Food Centre of Valencia (CEMAS) together with the Lluis Alcanyís Foundation of the University of Valencia are once again joining forces with Valencia Conference Centre, after coming together in 2022, to promote sustainable gastronomy through monitoring, dating, and assessment of food waste at the Valencia Conference Centre. This initiative is designed to put in place a protocol that helps fight food waste. This project is also part of Plan BonProfit, an initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development, Climate Emergency and Ecological Transition of the Valencia Region.
Firstly, there must be a data collection process. This means working together with conference organisers and hosts who come to Valencia Conference Centre. By surveying attendees and working together with Valencia Conference Centre’s catering service, Gourmet Catering & Espacios, food waste shall be measured and an analysis of where it is coming from shall be conducted.
Gourmet’s first pilot scheme was launched in its efforts to reduce food waste by donating food, which is achieved through an uninterrupted cold chain and being sure to only serve the necessary amount of food according to the needs of the events.
Sylvia Andrés, Managing Director of the Valencia Conference Centre, states: “Let’s hope this helps us to change, positively influence, and realise that it is not so complicated to do things differently.”
If you would like to know more, you are invited to join us at the sustainable gastronomy forum organised by Valencia Conference Centre, with Vicente Domingo (Director of World Sustainable Urban Food Centre of Valencia), José Miguel Soriano (Director of the University Clinic of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Physiotherapy at the University of Valencia), Corinna Heilmann (Business Development & International Relations Gourmet Catering & Espacios) and Sylvia Andrés (Managing Director of the Valencia Conference Centre).
