CONCLUSION As our sample shows, there is hope for the hospitality industry in Hong Kong: most of our respondents were striving to include more sustainability practices in their operations, as shown by their efforts to mitigate the environmental impacts of their SFP and reduce food waste. Outlets, many of which faced barriers within and outside of their operation, had different progress. Nevertheless, the majority was aware of the waste crisis that the city is facing and the responsibility they had in it. They were ready to take the lead and to find solutions to implement better practices, but needed external support to do so. All in all, the missing link between awareness and mitigating the waste crisis in Hong Kong are a series of collective and structural first steps that need to be taken urgently by all stakeholders involved, at all levels. If hospitality businesses take the first step to segregate food waste, then food waste measurement will be made possible to bring in more insights to the food waste generated by the industry. If the Government takes the first step to communicate better with hospitality businesses, include them in its waste management plan, and involve them in their waste reduction policies and campaigns, outlets will be able to provide helpful feedback about the challenges they face and better segregate their SFP and food waste. If an owner/franchise operator of an outlet takes the first step to create an environment where staff receives training about food waste prevention and where sustainability is openly discussed, it will help create an environment and a philosophy where sustainability considerations are at the core of the outlet’s operations and stakeholders’ preoccupations. Both businesses, Government agencies and NGOs are ready and committed to solving the waste crisis that Hong Kong is facing. All it takes is a step in the right direction: a step towards each other. WASTE DEEP AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF THE WASTE GENERATED BY THE
64
