Guests have grown increasingly conscious of sustainable packaging at restaurants. Sustainable packaging reflects a brand’s philosophy, cant guests do not want to patron or have association with an enterprise that appears to not care about the environment, reports Fast Casual. Here are some ways restaurant operators can instill sustainable packaging:

1) Trace the sourcing of your packaging materials

Sustainable traceability has both environmental and ethical roots. Guests want the comfort of knowing that the packaging they’re using is from a legal, acceptable and sustainably managed source.

2) Source from neutral, non-profit organizations that conduct certification auditing

The following NGOs confirm whether sustainability certifications are being upheld:

• FSC: The Forestry Stewardship Council, considered the most stringent certification standard, was created by environmental and community leaders in the 1990s;
• PEFC: The Program for the Endorsement of Forestry Certification, the world’s largest forestry certification program, is an umbrella group working with national and large forestry certification programs to create a global certification program; and
• SFI: The Sustainable Forestry Initiative, a U.S. forestry certification program, is under the PEFC umbrella.

3) Consider renewable resources for packaging needs

Guests place an emphasis on whether products have been sourced from renewable resources that have been recycled or plantation-grown, for example.

4) Examine opportunities to employ reusable packaging

Guests appreciate that “greener” value in the containers that store their food, which is why reusable packaging for to-go products is essential. Consider implementing multi-use to-go containers that have several functions and can be used in many ways.

5) Take measures to reduce food waste

This includes composting leftovers, switching to packaging that promotes long-lasting freshness for food, and making the removal of all food from to-go containers simple for guests.