ASSET H&C - “Sustainable Food System in the Hospitality Industry: Where to Start?”, the Open Conference by IECD in Ho Chi Minh City
A lesson at Bayon Bakery & Pastry School in Siem Reap, Cambodia
FRANCE - 06 November 2023 - According to FAO, a third of the global greenhouse gas emissions are linked to the Food systems. Still, 17% of the total food produced is wasted (UNEP); “Estimates suggest that 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food that is not consumed”. In the Hospitality sector’s context of inflation and increasing environmental pressure, while being an important cost centre (27-35%) in the daily operations of a restaurant, food production and procurement is also a major source of pollution.
As a pioneer in responsible tourism, IECD’s project Association of Southeast Asian Social Enterprises for Training in Hospitality & Catering (ASSET-H&C) will organize a public conference on this pressing topic:
“Sustainable Food System in the Hospitality Industry: Where to start?”.
Time: 8:30-12:00, Thursday, 16 November 2023
Venue: Sofitel Saigon Plaza, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
No fees required and a networking buffet lunch to follow
Chance to win 3 Food Waste Prevention courses valued at 199$
Register at this link: https://forms.gle/KPc7oP7bD6eMYtxXA
The conference will share insights and inspire audiences about Sustainable Food Practices with successful case studies, a roundtable discussion with experts and insiders, as well as a practical mini workshop.
18 ASSET-H&C member schools’ representatives will participate in the event. They are directly managing or working in hospitality vocational training centres, also social enterprises, in Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, training young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds. Besides, other professionals and stakeholders from the Hospitality Industry will also join the conference, varying from big hotel groups, restaurants, and suppliers to NGOs.
One of the special guests at the conference is Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat, a chocolate company that uses solely Vietnamese cocoa beans to produce chocolate in Vietnam, supporting local farmers' sustainable livelihoods.
Sharing about Marou Chocolate’s model, CEO Vincent Mourou emphasized, "For Marou, social responsibility and sustainability are not just principles; they're woven into the fabric of our business model and shape every facet of our operations”. To date, the company has been actively advocating for sustainable business practices, successfully persuading even the most skeptical stakeholders with their enduring motto: "Doing Good – Tasting Good."
“By educating all Hospitality stakeholders, including schools, workforce, suppliers, to customers, we together can transform the current Sustainable Food System”, sneak peeked by Miquel Angel Perez Martorell, a leading sustainable tourism expert who will be a keynote speaker at the roundtable.
All speakers, trainers and facilitators at the conference
This is another annual event of the association since 2016 to promote Responsible Tourism. A combination of an inspirational introduction to the topic followed by clear, practical activities is key to ensuring that each participant goes home with relevant and actionable knowledge of sustainable food cycle.
All industry stakeholders are invited to join and contribute to the conference by registering HERE on a “first come, first serve” basis, or contact us for further information:
Ha Phan, Project Manager - ha.phan@iecd.org
About ASSET-H&C
The Association of Southeast Asian Social Enterprises for Training in Hospitality & Catering (ASSET-H&C) is a network of innovative vocational training centres that support the inclusion of young people from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, through training and professional integration in this industry. The association, established in 2016 by IECD, currently gathers 13 member schools across Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam. Yearly, ASSET-H&C’s member schools altogether train and prepare 1400 young women and men coming from disadvantaged backgrounds for hospitality & catering jobs. The network works together on our common goals and challenges, as well as to promote more responsible and inclusive tourism in the region. For more information, please visit http://assethc.org/ or https://www.facebook.com/ASSETHC/.