Oman Food Bank, the private-led initiative to help channel surplus food to economically weaker segments of the local community, has begun attracting commitments from prominent hotels that have begun gravitating to the cause.
Last week, leading property Kempinski Hotel Muscat said it had signed an agreement with Oman Food Bank to minimise the wastage of food and help create better awareness on the importance of food management, especially within hotels.
The initiative is part of the reputable hospitality chain’s support for BE Health, a CSR scheme that brings all of the Kempinski hotels under one corporate social responsibility vision that champions a world where health is contagious.
Kempinski Hotel Muscat’s General Manager, Carsten Wiegandt said “Through this partnership and many other similar projects that the team has been involved in, we hope to raise better awareness on how local businesses can contribute to the community that they are operating in. Five-star hotels produce large quantities of food, especially with a property of our size and the number of outlets, there is much to be donated to people who are in need in different parts of the country. As Oman Food Bank is also looking for additional support, we are delighted to have some of our team members volunteer as well.”
Earlier, Al Bustan Palace – A Ritz Carlton Hotel – joined hands with a number of city properties to host a food cart race, the proceeds from which were donated to Oman Food Bank.
Nabil al Zadjali, General Manager of Al Bustan Palace said: “Helping families in our community is a cause that is very near and dear to our hearts given our line of business. We have adopted sustainable methods to reduce and dispose food waste and firmly believe that the hospitality industry plays an integral role in championing this important cause that impacts every country around the globe. We hope that our actions will inspire others to follow our footsteps so that zero hunger can become a living reality.”
Oman Food Bank, a charitable venture, was inaugurated last week under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources. Also on the occasion, a number of public and private sector organisations made pledges to divert surplus food to the charity. Initiatives to recycle waste food were also discussed.
