Zero Waste,
Higher Margins for Restaurants & Hotels
Ready in 4 Weeks
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This Zero Waste Implementation Guide is built for busy hospitality operators who don’t have time for theory.
In 4 weeks, you’ll know exactly where you’re wasting money, which quick wins to tackle first, and how to turn food waste into savings, new menu items and a stronger story for guests, banks and partners.
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No fluff. No greenwashing. Just step-by-step tools you can start using in your next service.
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Ready to Take the Next Step?
Hospitality runs on tight margins – and food waste quietly eats into them every single day.
The Zero Waste Implementation Guide for HORECA shows you, step by step, how to:
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Measure food waste in a simple, low-friction way
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Cut 10–15% of waste in the first month with quick wins
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Roll out proven tactics over the next 3–6 months
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Turn your results into numbers you can share with owners, banks and ESG questionnaires
Designed specifically for restaurants, hotels and catering teams in Europe, it connects the reality of your kitchen and FOH with the regulatory and financial changes coming to the sector.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for you if you are:
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A restaurant owner or head chef who wants to reduce waste and protect profitability without making life harder for your team.
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A hotel F&B manager or sustainability lead who needs a structured, credible way to show progress on food waste and ESG.
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A hospitality group or chain looking for a simple system you can roll out across multiple locations.
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A consultant or trainer who supports hospitality clients and wants a ready-made framework to plug into your work.
If you’ve tried “awareness campaigns” and posters and nothing really stuck, this guide will feel different: it’s operational, numbers-driven and built around how kitchens actually work.
What You’ll Get
Free: 4-Week Zero Waste Quick Start (PDF)
A practical starter pack you can roll out immediately.
You’ll get:
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A 4-week foundation plan tailored to HORECA
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Clear roles for owner/GM, head chef, FOH and shift leaders
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Simple weighing & logging routines that take ~10–15 minutes per day
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A shortlist of quick-win actions that don’t disrupt service
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Example scenarios showing typical 10–15% waste reduction after the first month
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A light introduction to ESG / VSME reporting so you can start capturing the right data from day one
Ideal if you want to “try before you commit” and prove internally that zero waste work actually pays off.
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Instant access. No spam, no endless newsletter – just the guide.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Developed by The Climate School
The guide is created by sustainability and business strategy experts who have worked with European institutions, major companies and startups – and who understand the daily reality of HORECA teams.
The promise: no jargon, no guilt, no unrealistic checklists. Just tools that help you waste less food and earn more from what you already buy.
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Contact us and get your custom waste reduction plan:
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Step-by-step implementation details for each tactic - not theory, but exact procedures, timelines, and checklists
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Tools and templates you can use immediately - tracking spreadsheets, recipes, staff training scripts, signage
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Common pitfalls and solutions
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Supplier recommendations and resource links
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Measurement frameworks and ROI calculators - prove the business case to your team and track progress
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VSME reporting integration - turn your Zero Waste data into credible sustainability credentials
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is this only for large hotels and restaurant groups?
No. The system works for independent restaurants, cafés and small hotels just as well as for larger groups. The Quick Start Guide is intentionally lean and low-admin. In the full system, we show you how to scale the tactics up or down depending on your size and team capacity.
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Q2. How much time does it take to run this?
In most operations, the daily routines take around 10–15 minutes per day (weighing and basic logging) plus a monthly 30–45 minute review of results.
A lot of the impact comes from decisions you make once (portion sizes, prep methods, reuse recipes) and then repeat every day.
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Q3. Do I need special software to use the tools?
No. All tools are built in a way that works with Excel or Google Sheets, plus printed checklists you can keep in the kitchen or BOH. If you already use specialised kitchen management software, you can simply mirror the structure there.
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Q4. Does this help with ESG, CSRD or VSME reporting?
Yes. The guide highlights exactly which data points are useful for ESG / VSME-style reporting and includes example indicators and wording.
It won’t replace your full sustainability report, but it gives you a solid, credible block on food waste that you can plug into questionnaires, bank discussions and stakeholder communication.
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Q5. Is this legal or food-safety advice?
No. The guide explains general principles and typical practices but it is not legal, tax or food-safety advice. Laws and rules vary by country and change over time. Always check your plans with your local food-safety authority, legal advisor or accountant before changing donation practices or storage rules.
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© 2025 The Climate School. All rights reserved.
The “Zero Waste Implementation Guide for HORECA” and the “Quick Start Zero Waste Implementation Guide for HORECA” are protected by copyright. You may use them within your own business, but you may not resell, republish or distribute them without written permission.