May 27, 2025
Welcome back to Served., where we dig into the ideas shaping the future of foodservice. This week, we’re talking about ESG, not as a PR exercise, but as a serious lever for performance in contract catering.
Eline Henriksen caught up with Gina Camfield , Head of ESG at Aramark UK & Global Offshore, to find out what it really looks like when sustainability is part of the business model. From cutting food waste across hundreds of kitchens to turning social impact into measurable value, this is ESG with substance, not slogans.
ESG: A Business Driver, Not a Box to Tick
There’s still a sense in our industry that ESG is something you “have” to do. A bit of a chore. But when I sat down with Gina Camfield, it was clear she sees it differently. For her, ESG isn’t a checklist - it’s a way to build a better, more resilient business.
And the truth is, that mindset shift matters. The companies treating ESG like paperwork are going to fall behind. Regulations are only going one way. Clients want to work with businesses that share their values. And if you’re not adapting now, you’ll spend years playing catch-up later.
“If you’re seeing it as a tick box exercise now, you’re going to have a lot of catching up to do in 5, 10, 15 years’ time.”
What ESG Looks Like in Practice: Aramark’s 8 Pillars
At Aramark, ESG isn’t a side project. It’s part of how the business runs every day. Their approach, called Be Well Do Well, breaks ESG into eight parts: half focus on people, half on the planet.
This structure gives each part a clear owner. So instead of one “sustainability team” trying to do it all, the whole company is involved. That means HR looks after wellbeing, culinary teams focus on better menus, and procurement leads on supplier diversity. It works because people are solving problems in the areas they know best.
It’s not just one team’s job. Each pillar is owned by a different department - because sustainability is everyone’s business.”
Making ESG Make Financial Sense
Too often, sustainability gets talked about as an added cost. But as Gina pointed out, it’s really about spending smarter, not spending more. When you reduce waste, improve energy use, or redesign a menu to be more efficient, you're not just helping the planet - you’re improving margins.
Her advice: start treating sustainability like any other part of the business. Track the numbers. See what works. And talk about ESG as a long-term investment, not a short-term bill.
“Let’s stop talking about ‘cost’ - sustainability drives brand trust, wins business, and saves money.”
Tracking What Matters: How to Measure ESG in Foodservice
One of the biggest challenges in ESG isn’t getting buy-in, it’s proving that what you’re doing is actually making a difference. And without measurement, good intentions don’t mean much.
Gina talked openly about the need to treat sustainability like any other part of the business: track it, quantify it, and use the data to drive decisions. That starts with the basics - measuring waste, energy use, and procurement - but it also means looking beyond operations. Who are you hiring? What impact are your suppliers having? How do your initiatives improve wellbeing or community engagement?
At Aramark, tools like the Social Value Portal allow them to assign real financial proxies to their ESG work. This isn’t just about internal reporting, it’s about showing clients exactly what they’re getting when they choose a responsible partner.
Her advice for other operators: start simple. Track what you can, even if the data isn’t perfect. Over time, those numbers become your strongest tool for both internal decision-making and external storytelling.
"Capture any data point you can - even if you're not sure how you'll use it yet. A year later, you'll wish you had it.”
Social Value: What It Means, and How It Works
“Social value” can feel like a vague term, but Gina broke it down simply: it’s the good you do beyond the service you provide. For Aramark, that includes things like hiring people locally, offering training in underrepresented communities, or giving staff paid time to volunteer.
To keep track, they use a tool called the Social Value Portal, which puts a financial figure on these actions, so it’s clear what the real-world impact is, and how it supports both the business and the community.
“It’s the value we add to people’s lives beyond the amazing food we serve.”
Getting People Involved - Not Just Internally
Education plays a huge role in ESG. At Aramark, they created a “Planet Ambassador” programme, open to anyone in the business. Participants visit agricultural colleges, speak with experts, and leave with a better understanding of what sustainability means in practice.
Gina also talked about customer engagement. Carbon labels, for instance, are a good first step, but they don’t always drive behavior on their own. People still choose meals based on taste, price, and convenience. The goal is to make the sustainable option so appealing that it becomes the default.
“We need to make the sustainable choice the desirable one.”
Incentives That Work: Reducing Waste in Prisons
In one of the most interesting examples, Gina described a project in prisons where high levels of food waste were costing the team thousands each month. The solution? Make a deal: reduce the waste, and the savings go back into better meals for everyone.
It worked. It also showed that sustainability doesn’t have to be driven by top-down pressure. Sometimes, the best results come from simply showing people what they can gain by changing their habits.
“If we save £4,000/month in food waste, we reinvest it in better meals. That’s circular thinking."
On Leadership and the Future of Hospitality
Gina’s perspective on leadership is refreshingly grounded. She doesn’t see herself as carrying the ESG mission alone - and she doesn’t think anyone should. Her role, she says, is to help people across the business understand what they can do and why it matters.
She also hopes to change how people see hospitality. It’s not just a stopgap job or a fallback career - it’s full of opportunities, from ESG to marketing to innovation. That message, she hopes, will be part of what she leaves behind.
“It’s not one person that drives change, it’s the team around you.”
Final Takeaway
Gina Camfield’s approach is a good reminder that you don’t need to overhaul your entire business overnight. Start small. Track your progress. Share what works. And most importantly - make sure ESG isn’t an afterthought. It should be part of how you run your business, every day.
