Published on 7/13/21

B The Change : Together, let’s reduce our environmental impact!

As an emitter of greenhouse gases, the culinary industry has a crucial role to play in tackling the environmental crisis; committing to action for the good of our planet is now key to its future. This new “B the Change” week focuses on our organizations’ environmental impact, and the action businesses can take to address the current climate emergency.

B the change environnement

Aiming for carbon neutrality

Our Tain l’Hermitage chocolate factory has been carbon neutral since 2020.

How did we do it?

We have reduced CO2 emissions from the chocolate business by 57% since 2013. We then offset the remaining 43% through the Madre de Dios project in Peru in collaboration with EcoAct, a global award-winning innovative project developer in the implementation and management of carbon offsetting projects. Located in the Vilcabamba-Amboro Conservation Corridor near the ancient Machu Picchu citadel, the project aims to strengthen monitoring in the region and establish sustainable forest management practices. These initiatives significantly reduce deforestation, the threat of displacement of local indigenous communities, and illegal exploitation.

 Our objective for 2025? To become carbon neutral across our value chain, from plantation to plate, by 2025

Culina Hortus: a revelation for vegetarian gastronomy

Did you know? The best gastronomic vegetarian restaurant in the world is nestled in the heart of the gastronomic capital! Since its launch in 2018 by two gastronomy enthusiasts, Thomas Bouanich and Maxime Rémond, the Culina Hortus restaurant has managed to build an incredible reputation in the world of top-notch food. Eating luxury gastronomic food does not necessarily mean eating meat or fish.

Many foodies have tried it and loved the cuisine of chef Adrien Zedda, who uses fresh, seasonal products picked up at the local market in his recipes. Generous, gourmet, refined and 100% vegetarian cuisine—not such a crazy gamble, after all!
The two partners are also committed to reducing their environmental impact as far as possible. To achieve this, they carefully source their products with the chef to secure as much organic produce purchased direct from producers as possible, all delivering exceptional taste quality.
Packaging is reusable or recyclable, and the restaurant also aims for zero waste. A wonderful initiative for our planet! Well done!

Let’s change our food habits together

The association Bon Pour le Climat a network of 200 chefs committed to low-carbon, more plant-based, local and seasonal food. Founded in 2014 to mark the COP21 conference, the association proposes tangible, positive changes to our food practices in an effort to preserve the planet and its climate.

Bon  pour le climat

Because food accounts for a quarter of our greenhouse gas emissions, their ambition is to reduce this impact by promoting “responsible” cooking that favors seasonal and local plant-based products that reduce the proportion of meat on our plates.
This cuisine has three benefits: it has a positive impact on the climate, it’s better for your health, and it saves money.
To promote top-notch low-carbon food, they have asked gastronomy professionals to create dishes that are good for the climate using the eco-calculator they provide, which enables chefs to calculate and adjust the carbon footprint of their dishes, and promote it to their customers.
Finally, as each of us has a daily role to play in this issue, they are inviting chefs such as Régis Marcon, Olivier Roellinger or Josselin Marie, as well as catering colleges, producers and consumers to rise to these new challenges together, by their side.

If you also want to get involved, it’s easy! Simply join the association via their website www.bonpourleclimat.org and sign the charter.
We chatted to Jean-Luc Fessard, President of the association, whose vision we share. He stated,

We work with chefs for the educational value they represent: to get the general public to change, the food must be delicious. 

 

We'll see you next month for a new topic with B the Change.

Together, Good becomes Better