Compass One, which brings together the specialist expertise of Compass Group UK & Ireland’s ESS, Healthcare and One Retail sectors, has introduced the ‘Future Food’ sustainability engagement programme. Developed specifically for frontline colleagues, Future Food aims to drive the knowledge and skills required to support the achievement of Compass Group UK & Ireland’s Climate Net Zero ambitions.
The programme comprises concise, engaging videos delivered by AI-generated avatars combined with real in-unit footage. The first module ‘Fighting Food Waste’ is being launched to coincide with Stop Food Waste Day on 30th April. It builds on the sustainability training already delivered to unit teams, making the bite-size learning fast, relevant and action-focused for communication across the Compass One estate.
Use of innovative AI technology means the courses can be kept fresh, compliant and accessible. Content can be quickly and easily updated to reflect any changes in legislation and presented in different languages where needed.
Managers will deliver sessions during pre-shift briefings and teams will watch the videos together on a tablet in a relevant location, such as a hotplate or storage area. Colleagues will be encouraged to discuss what they have seen, before implementing best practice tasks and behaviours during their shifts. The videos will be available via QR codes displayed in relevant locations, meaning they can be easily accessed at any time and are ready to train new team members.
The Fighting Food Waste series covers subjects including food ordering, portion sizes and storage and stock control in relevant settings such as restaurants, cafes and stores. Collectively, the training will see teams walking the entire food journey through their site and identifying every opportunity to minimise waste. The content has been created by Compass One’s Sustainability Director and social value team, with extensive input from operational leaders across the business.
New Future Food modules will be issued quarterly, with additional subjects to include plant-based dining, energy efficiency and minimising packaging impact.
Jay Averill, Regional Executive Chef – ESS, commented:
“Future Food is a brilliant programme for our catering colleagues. It will allow our unit culinary teams to deliver consistent, clear and impactful sustainability messages to our back and front of house teams immediately before they start their shifts and in a location that is relevant to the course content. I’m excited about the opportunity to encourage further engagement within our teams on these important topics and work towards a more sustainable future.”
Rees Bramwell, Sustainability Director – Compass One, commented:
“Compass One has ambitious sustainability targets. It’s critical that we empower our operational teams with the information, tools and confidence they need to bring our commitments to life. Future Food has been designed specifically for our frontline colleagues, so they understand exactly how their role impacts the bigger picture and what they need to do to help us succeed in achieving our environmental ambitions. It future proofs our employee engagement in this space, recognising the key role our people play in delivering our strategy.”
Mark Webster, CEO – Compass One, added:
“I’m delighted about the launch of Future Food. Our site-based teams are the engine that delivers change day in and day out, and supporting their knowledge and engagement is key. Thank you to our social value team for all their hard work in bringing this programme to life.”
