Read this article about Al Jazeera International Catering LLC, one of our finalists, in the category Best Achievement in Cultural Transformation & Sustainability to deliver a high performing Enterprise Excellence Culture, selected by the independent judging panel, for the 2019 Business Transformation & Operational Excellence Industry Awards program. Click here to read articles on other finalists.

The strategic objectives and scope of the Operational Excellence project

Objective of this Submission is to demonstrate as to how Al Jazeera International Catering LLC, converted its stakeholder sustainability requirement into competitive advantage by incorporating Organizational Excellence into sustainability context through Green Initiative concentrating on aspects of: -

• Operational Efficiency
• Procurement & Supply chain Efficiency
• Environmental Benefit
• Stakeholder Engagement.

JIC developed a project “Our Planet Our responsibility” and managed using SPEARS methodology tool to manage this project. This methodology is an organizational enabler and ensures all aspects of business excellence starting with setting objectives, providing resources, process empowerment, analysis of deployment, reviewing, recognizing and knowledge sharing- are completed at all stages of the process.

Core Requirement of this Implementation

In 2015, JIC conducted its stakeholder engagement process, and about 60% of stakeholder expressed that JIC need to address sustainability issue regarding waste management especially concentrating on food waste. Also, concerns were raised on E. coli injection to land fill. JIC addressed this issue as part of the Organizational Excellence & Sustainability process.

Analysis of the Key Impact & Challenge.

Impact of Food waste on Environment

In an analysis we found that JIC has generated overall of 6572 m3 food waste over the years, resulting in occupying 350 m2 landfill and had potential to generate 52567 m3 of methane and affecting ecological balance as there is high chance of E. coli ingestion into land due to decomposing of food waste in landfill. Also, Raw material production of these food has involved an approximate of Forty-eight hundred billion gallons of water.

Key Challenges

• To ensure Reduction of food waste generation
• To ensure Reduction of food waste to landfill
• To ensure Prevention of E. coli entering into the eco system through waste.

The Operational Excellence project implementation process and timeline

JIC did operational analysis at grassroot level to understand the problem and underlying reasons and developed a single operational Excellence transformation Initiative to address three key challenges of Reduction of food waste generation, Reduction of food waste to landfill and prevention of E. coli to enter the eco system through waste. Innovation was made at three levels starting with product modification, process alteration & infrastructural change.

The size of the project challenge, use of creative tools, and any organizational development

Based on the analysis JIC created a strategy addressing three major areas of JIC operations which include Procurement, Food production & Waste disposal.

We created a 4E strategy for sustainability, Educate, Enable, Empowered and Engaged. All Employees were set through the process of Education, Enabling, Empowerment and Engagement through implementation of this Strategic Initiative.

JIC created a waste reduction plan and incorporated action items in three areas: -

Procurement: Procurement plan was revised including sourcing of raw materials which has less production waste (i.e. vegetables like cauliflower were avoided) and packaging specifications were revised to ensure reduction of waste at the point of generation.

Operations: Food production plan was reworked and process was revised which ensured food production based on client requirement, I.e. production was altered on daily basis based on the camp occupancy level and overall 10% production was decreased.

Staff were trained on controlled food portion service at food counters to avoid plate wastage. Menu was reworked and some non-preferred food items were removed from our menu. Customer were encouraged to support this initiative through signature campaigns & awareness flash mobs.

Waste disposal: Apart from above control measure, JIC implemented a state of art waste disposal method to reduce impact on the environment. As part of innovation management JIC substituted its disposal method by investing quarter million dirhams in a food digester machine.

This machine acts as giant stomach and digests food waste in to liquid using oxygen based aerobic process. It uses microorganisms to digest fat, protein & fiber present in food waste.

Output of the process is an organic grey water which has no harm to the environment as validated by Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity council central testing laboratories. This process also ensures reduction of greenhouse gas emission due to waste decomposition and transportation of waste material to landfill.