World's largest cruise company has delivered
38% reduction in food waste per person, nearing ambitious
milestone of 40% reduction by 2025 ahead of 2030 goal
Company remains committed to its long-term
sustainability roadmap and to reducing its environmental and
greenhouse gas footprint
MIAMI, Dec. 6, 2023
/PRNewswire/ -- Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL;
NYSE: CUK), the world's largest cruise company, today announced it
has achieved a 38% reduction in food waste per passenger relative
to its 2019 baseline, nearing its interim target to reduce food
waste by 40% per person by 2025 on its path toward a 50% reduction
by 2030. Less than a year since surpassing the previous 30% food
waste reduction goal announced in its 2022 Sustainability Report,
this performance signals continued momentum in the company's
efforts to shrink its food print – an important element in the
company's long-standing commitment to sustainable operations from
ship to shore.
To achieve its goals, Carnival Corporation has taken decisive
measures onboard its ships to minimize unused food across every
aspect of food preparation and dining services. In addition, the
company has invested in advanced waste management technologies such
as biodigesters to naturally break down and responsibly dispose of
unused food. Together, these strategies support the company's
responsible waste management practices and drive continuous
momentum toward achieving its 2030 food waste reduction goal – part
of its circular economy objectives to use fewer resources, produce
less waste, and maximize recycling, while also helping to reduce
the company's environmental impact and greenhouse gas
emissions.
"One of the many ways we create unforgettable happiness for our
guests is through world-class food and dining experiences on our
ships," said Bill Burke, chief
maritime officer for Carnival Corporation. "Our food tells a story
and it's a labor of love to serve amazing meals to millions of
guests each year while making sure we manage it in the most
sustainable way possible. It's a virtuous cycle from start to
finish that reduces our environmental footprint while ensuring the
extraordinary guest experiences that make our world-class cruise
lines stand out."
Innovative Solutions to Maximize Food
Efficiency
Carnival Corporation has put in place several
practical, technological, and educational initiatives designed to
creatively cut food loss while continuing to deliver exceptional
dining experiences. By monitoring and analyzing guest dining trends
and flow, including utilizing AI technology, the company has
further optimized food use at every step of the food lifecycle
onboard its ships – from purchasing fresh ingredients, recipe
creation and menu design, to real-time meal prep, creation and
presentation techniques and in-suite dining. Many of the company's
brands have also implemented onboard awareness campaigns to educate
both guests and crew alike on doing their part to help reduce food
waste onboard. Plus, Costa Cruises works with a network of
registered food banks in communities it visits to deliver hundreds
of thousands of surplus ingredients and meals to people in
need.
In addition, the company also continues to explore even more
ways to create and reimagine creative recipes that get the most out
of every possible ingredient. Whether transforming orange peels
into citrus muffins or unserved bread into croutons, the company's
award-winning culinary teams find delicious ways to use every
ingredient to its fullest, and in the process, reduce waste.
Food Management and Disposal Technology
Investments
Carnival Corporation continues to invest in the
industry's smartest solutions to safely treat and handle uneaten
food, while helping to substantially limit impacts from
conventional disposal methods, such as landfills. The company leads
the industry with over 600 innovative food waste biodigesters
installed across its fleet, which house naturally occurring
bacteria that enable the ships to organically break down and
liquify 80% of uneaten food on board to just a fraction of the
original volume. By "digesting" this leftover food down to a liquid
form, it can be sustainably returned to nature and diverted from
landfills where natural decomposition would otherwise slowly
release methane – a greenhouse gas. As a result, in 2023, the
company has avoided over 31,000 metric tons of equivalent
greenhouse gas emissions that would have been generated had the
food gone to a landfill.
In addition, the company continues to innovate its approach to
maximizing waste diversion by installing technologies such as
dehydrators. These machines build on the effectiveness of
biodigesters by enabling the ships to sustainably break down a
wider range of food items, including fruit and vegetable rinds,
animal fats and other solid foods that are traditionally harder to
break down. To date, the company has installed 45-plus food
dehydrators across the fleet to remove excess water from leftover
food, reducing waste volume by up to 90%.
Food Waste Reduction Goals Advance Carnival Corporation's
Long-Term Sustainability Plan
These advancements support the
company's ongoing commitment in leading the way in sustainable
cruising by promoting positive climate action, contributing to a
circular economy, partnering with the communities it sails to and
from, and reducing its greenhouse gas footprint.
Overall, the company – including its world-class brands AIDA
Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland
America Line, P&O Cruises (Australia), P&O Cruises (UK), Princess
Cruises and Seabourn – is investing to achieve its 2030
sustainability goals and to pursue net zero emissions from ship
operations by 2050. To accomplish this, the company has six key
areas of focus, all aligned with elements of the United Nations'
Sustainable Development Goals, including climate action; circular
economy; sustainable tourism; good health and well-being;
diversity, equity, and inclusion; and biodiversity and
conservation.
The company's current Sustainability Report provides more detail
on its progress against all its 2030 sustainability goals and
its strategy to pursue net zero emissions from ship operations by
2050. The report is available
at www.CarnivalSustainability.com.
About Carnival Corporation & plc
Carnival
Corporation & plc is the largest global cruise company, and
among the largest leisure travel companies, with a portfolio of
world-class cruise lines – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line,
Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, P&O Cruises
(Australia), P&O Cruises (UK),
Princess Cruises, and Seabourn.
Additional information can be found on www.carnivalcorp.com,
www.aida.de, www.carnival.com,
www.costacruise.com, www.cunard.com, www.hollandamerica.com, www.pocruises.com.au, www.pocruises.com,
www.princess.com, and www.seabourn.com.
For information on Carnival Corporation's industry-leading
sustainability initiatives, visit
www.carnivalsustainability.com.
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SOURCE Carnival Corporation & plc