Sustainability Champion Spotlight: Ana Rivera
- Time with Sodexo: 4 years
- Location: Calgary, Alberta
- Industry: Corporate Services
- Role: Chef Manager
- Team: 9 people in total
- Customers: Normally 1200 people per day
As a Sustainability Champion at Sodexo Canada, Ana has implemented several initiatives on site to reduce waste. From eliminating all plastic take-out containers and utensils, to reducing food waste in the kitchen by engaging her team to be mindful about our resources and food insecurity in our country. Being a Chef Manager has helped her become more aware of responsible eating options and that’s why she is promoting plant-based meals every day at her unit, but also at home.
In 2020, she participated in the plant-based meal training with Humane Society International, which helped her rediscover plant-based options in a way she had never experienced before. When her site reopens, she will increase her plant-based offers by up to 20% in the café.
“I have to say that at first, I was a little hesitant; however, having all this information and training available to me about this sustainable way of eating opened my eyes. I started researching more about it, creating my own recipes and even going plant-based five days a week at home.”
Ana knows that implementing changes, even if they are positive, can be difficult for customers, so she and her team try to help them to adapt to the new ways of do things. She had the opportunity to participate in Sodexo’s Momentum Leadership program, where she created a plan for her site to implement a mix material bin for recyclables that has now joined the compostable and waste bins, making it easier for consumers.
Ana is a firm believer that the change needs to start in you, for you to then communicate it with others. By being a Sustainability Champion, she has become more aware of environmental problems and has had the opportunity to exchange experiences with other managers from across the country to find new solutions.
“Start your sustainability journey by getting informed. Just give it a try, and then you will want more. At Sodexo, there is always going to be someone there to help. We have so many resources and we just need to ask.”