TRUE to its calling as a responsible corporate entity, The Cravings Group (TCG), the country’s most dynamic chain with diversified interests in the restaurant business, culinary and hospitality schools and food and beverage service, renews its commitment to environmental causes with its participation in the first National Integrated Waste Management Exhibition, through its corporate social-responsibility arm, the Culinary Education Foundation (CEF) Inc.
TCG’s Susana P. Guerrero, concurrently the president of Zero Waste Philippines Inc., was in the forefront in this landmark event. It was initiated and organized by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)– National Solid-Waste Management Commission headed by Director Eli Ildefonso.
As a Platinum Partner exhibitor, TCG maximized its participation in the five-day exhibit through a series of seminars and demos that engaged visitors and audiences, mostly environmentalist groups and students.
What attracted most in the presentation was the bokashi technology of composting that is low-cost, mess-free, pest-free and odor-free. Easily replicable, it is now being embraced by at least 40 communities all over the country since it was launched by the CEF on Earth Day last year.
The event was also an occasion to award the P50,000 prize to the Most Sustainable Bokashi Program that was given to Barangay Magay, Tanauan, Leyte. The barangay was represented by Father Rich Gomez, MSC, and the facsimile check was handed to Sister Zaida Villareal, OSB, by Guerrero.
CEF envisions the Bokashi technology to immensely contribute to the growing demand for organic farming, which is crucial to health and food security in the Philippines.
Sen. Loren B. Legarda commended TCG for its endeavor. She mentioned it in her speech at the Green Summit sponsored by World Bank’s IFC, after watching the actual demo in the exhibit. The event also gave CEF the opportunity to open to the public its one-day seminar on Best Green Practices in Commercial Kitchens. This aims to promote Green Chefmanship and Going Zero Waste in the hospitality industry. Another highlight of the event was the TCG’s opportunity to show how they were able to steer the company into an ISO 14001 Certification, the global standard in environmental excellence.
For more information on CEF’s seminars and activities, it may be contacted through e-mail admin@cefmanila.com or Facebook.