Introduction
The “A New Eco-Friendly Roll” program, led by CMR in collaboration with ChopValue México and Sushiitto, brings environmental sustainability to life in the business sector. Since May 2023, this initiative has successfully collected and transformed over a million disposable sushi chopsticks into useful and visually appealing materials, proving that environmental commitment can be seamlessly integrated into the gastronomy industry.
Background and Key Players
Carmen Ramírez, CMR’s Environmental and Social Management Director, explains that the idea originated from giving a second life to common waste, promoting circular economy and reducing environmental impact. After a pilot test in four branches, the program expanded to 22 restaurants in Mexico City and the State of Mexico.
Challenges and Solutions
One of the main challenges was logistics for collection and changing the cultural mindset to ensure proper separation of chopsticks by staff. The sanitization and transformation processes involve rigorous steps, including immersion in resin at 200°C, ensuring hygiene and quality.
Impact and Future Expansion
The program has prevented over 58,000 CO₂e emission units, calculated by considering resources, manufacturing, logistics, and the recirculated material’s life cycle. Moreover, it actively engages employees and customers through awareness campaigns.
CMR is considering extending this initiative to other franchises and sectors, confident that circular economy is viable and scalable when working in partnership.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the “A New Eco-Friendly Roll” program? It’s a collaboration between CMR, ChopValue México, and Sushiitto to transform discarded sushi chopsticks into useful materials, promoting circular economy in the gastronomy industry.
- Who is Carmen Ramírez and why is she relevant? Carmen Ramírez is the Environmental and Social Management Director at CMR. She initiated the program to give waste a second life, reduce environmental impact, and integrate sustainability into businesses.
- What challenges did the program face, and how were they overcome? The main challenges included collection logistics and changing staff habits. These were addressed through training, improved collection logistics at consumption points, and rigorous sanitization processes.
- What impact has the program had so far? The initiative has prevented over 58,000 CO₂e emission units and actively engaged employees and customers in sustainability efforts.
- What are CMR’s plans for the future? CMR aims to expand the program to other franchises and sectors, believing that circular economy is viable and scalable through partnerships.
