Sustainable practices of upmarket South African restaurants
Date
2015
Authors
Kasonga, Angela Simona Kapwani
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Abstract
Sustainability... eco-friendly... environmentally friendly... sustainable practices... Green...
These terms and phrases have become the subject of many academic literature and studies in all industries. The need to become more sustainable stems from the fact that the ecosystems of the world are being negatively impacted by the growth of the human population and the subsequent growth of human activities. People and businesses need to be aware of the impact they have on the environment and their potential to jeopardise resources for the future generations. In turn, business need not only create profit, but they also need to be aware of their social, economic and ecological responsibilities, known as the triple bottom line.
As stated, this jargon has been widely used and researched extensively in all industries including the food and beverage industry. The aim of this report was to investigate and analyse the use of sustainable practices within the food and beverage industry of South Africa with a particular focus on the restaurant industry.
Restaurants are able to control and make decisions about where food comes from, how it will be prepared, who will engage in preparation and how it will be disposed. A review of the literature found extensive information on studies done in the US, UK and also some parts of Asia, however, sparse information with regards to South Africa, and in particular, Johannesburg was found.
Through qualitative research methods, this study analysed the extent and usage of sustainable practices within the restaurant industry. Practices such as waste management and the efficient use of energy and water, among others were included in this study with a response on how these practices were being implemented and whether or not the restaurateurs believed that it would provide them with some competitive advantage. The report focuses on restaurants, particularly, upmarket restaurants within the City of Johannesburg. It was found that restaurants are aware of the impact they have on the environment and they
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are implementing a few of these ‘green’ initiatives within their restaurants even though they are not required to do so by any known law or regulation. It was also found that these restaurateurs do not believe that their usage of eco-friendly technologies enhance their brand equity which may then increase their competitive advantage.
The conclusions and recommendations suggest that like the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) and Green Restaurant Association (GRA), there is space and need for such a mechanism within the South African restaurants industry to assist and support restaurants in moving towards more sustainable practices. Furthermore, due to increased concern about the future of the planet, government or other governing bodies need to establish some rules and regulations around the activities or restaurants. These will enable the restaurants to take note of and set goals for the future with regard to their environmental actions.
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Keywords
Restaurants -- Environmental aspects -- South Africa. Restaurant management -- South Africa. Environmental responsibility -- South Africa.