Addressing sustainable food management in hotels: proposing a framework and examining hotel groups
ISSN: 0007-070X
Article publication date: 11 November 2021
Issue publication date: 14 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Sustainable food practices have been recognised as a key issue in efforts to improve and report sustainable tourism practices, given the importance of the social, environmental and economic impacts of the food industry throughout its entire chain of production – from farm to fork. From this standpoint, the aim of the present paper is to propose a comprehensive framework for reporting or making decisions concerning sustainable food management in hotels, taking into account the various facets of the food supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
Several dimensions are proposed for dealing with sustainable food management, involving all aspects of food supply chains that may be relevant for hotel decision-making. Furthermore, some key criteria for creating and using indicators of different types (qualitative and quantitative) to address these various dimensions of sustainable food management are suggested. Subsequently, the proposed framework is validated with the sustainability criteria and indicators provided by the top eight hotel groups, according to the 2019 SAM Annual Corporate Sustainability Assessment.
Findings
Hotels neglect a number of aspects of sustainable food management identified in the framework. The quality and the quantity of the information provided by hotels are limited.
Practical implications
There is a need to improve sustainability in food management in the hotels under analysis in several areas. A comprehensive framework such as that proposed in this paper may be of great value in seeking to remedy this situation. It may also assist users of hotel services and communities in making more informed decisions.
Originality/value
The proposed framework may be beneficial in advancing academic debate towards a more embracing and relevant understanding of sustainable food management in hotels and on the indicators required in this regard.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Declaration of interest statement: The authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organisation mentioned in this research.
This research has been developed within the framework of the research project funded by the State Research Agency of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (Reference no.: PID2020-112660RB-I00 / AEI / 10.13039 / 501100011033), the Funding for Consolidated Research teams of the Regional Council of Innovation, Universities, Science and Digital Society (Reference no.: AICO2021/144/GVA), the Funding for Special Research Actions of Universitat de València (Reference no.: UV-INV-AE-1553911) and the Pioneers into Practice Programme 2019 of EIT Climate KIC.
Citation
Ruiz Molina, M.E., Belda-Miquel, S., Hytti, A. and Gil-Saura, I. (2022), "Addressing sustainable food management in hotels: proposing a framework and examining hotel groups", British Food Journal, Vol. 124 No. 2, pp. 462-492. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-12-2020-1171
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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