Driving the Green Transformation of Hong Kong’s Restaurant Industry: ‘Sustainable Restaurant Awards 2024’ Reveals the Lowest Carbon Restaurants

November 4, 2024

The First Award Ceremony to Assess Actual Carbon Footprint, Promoting Sustainable Development in Hong Kong’s Restaurant Industry

The “Sustainable Restaurant Award 2024” ceremony, hosted by Innoblock Technology Ltd., successfully concluded last Friday (November 1) at the Eco Expo Asia, AsiaWorld-Expo. This event not only recognized outstanding restaurants in sustainability but also set a new benchmark for the green transformation of Hong Kong’s dining industry.

The ceremony attracted numerous industry guests, including Mr. Anthony Lam, Executive Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Industries and Chairman of the Hong Kong Quality Assurance Agency; Mr. Winston Yeung, Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurant; Mr. Silas Chu, Director of Exhibitions and Digital Business at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, and Ms. Sindy Wong, Head of Tourism and Hospitality at InvestHK who collectively witnessed this milestone event.

Significance of the Awards and Winning Restaurants

The “Sustainable Restaurant Award 2024” is Hong Kong’s first award based on actual carbon footprint assessments, aimed at promoting sustainable development in the restaurant industry and encouraging environmentally friendly and low-carbon practices. The award evaluates participating restaurants based on their actual carbon emissions across six criteria: water, waste, energy, food, transportation, and reusable or disposable items. The average carbon emission calculated was 54 tons per million HKD in revenue. Restaurants with emissions below this average received the Low Carbon Award, while the lowest-emission restaurant was awarded the Sustainable Restaurant Award of the Year.

This year, special emphasis was placed on calculating data from Scope 3 emissions to obtain a more comprehensive view of carbon emissions in the restaurant sector. Research indicates that Scope 3 emissions account for over 70% of total carbon emissions, covering areas such as ingredient sourcing, waste disposal, and transportation. This approach provides a more complete picture of the carbon emission distribution and management within restaurant operations.

In total, 42 restaurant brands participated in this year’s awards. After rigorous evaluation and auditing, two restaurants recorded carbon emissions of 40 tons per million HKD in revenue, earning them the Sustainable Restaurant Award of the Year. These was awarded to AsiaWorld-Expo Management Limited and Forum Restaurant, while the Low Carbon Award winners included CulinArt 1862, Four Seasons Fun Fong, Fufa Life, HKR International Limited, Nuk Café, Ser Wong Fun, Sushi Masa, Tian Tian Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Tsui Wah Group (in no particular order).

This ceremony not only showcased the industry’s proactive measures in addressing environmental challenges but also established a new standard for sustainable development in Hong Kong’s restaurant sector. The organizer hope that these awards will inspire more restaurants to pursue environmentally friendly practices, enhance energy efficiency, and reduce waste. Mr. Kevin Ng, CEO of Innoblock Technology, remarked at the ceremony: “We are thrilled to witness the efforts and achievements of these exceptional restaurants in sustainable development. These award winners have not only made significant strides in reducing carbon emissions but have also set an example in promoting environmental awareness and industry collaboration.”

Selection Criteria and Transparency

The “Sustainable Restaurant Award 2024” utilized audited actual carbon emissions as its selection criterion, based on carbon emission data from January to December 2023 across six core areas. Participating restaurants were required to submit relevant data, and third-party auditor British Standards Institution (BSI) was invited to ensure accuracy and transparency, thereby enhancing the credibility of the awards. Winning restaurants needed to have carbon emissions below or equal to the average of all participating restaurants, demonstrating their outstanding performance in sustainability. These selection criteria not only raised environmental awareness in the restaurant industry but also promoted healthy competition within the sector, encouraging continuous improvement in sustainable practices.

Technology-Driven Carbon Emission Management

To support restaurants in effectively managing their carbon emissions, Innoblock Technology will provide an advanced data management platform to help restaurants collect, organize, and analyse their carbon emission data. This platform will not only allow real-time tracking of carbon emissions but also generate detailed reports to assist restaurants in identifying opportunities for improvement, thus achieving greater sustainability in their daily operations. Through this technology-driven approach, restaurants will gain clearer insights into their environmental impact and be able to develop targeted improvement plans, further advancing the industry’s green transformation.

As Hong Kong accelerates its push towards sustainable development, the successful execution of the “Sustainable Restaurant Award” will further motivate the industry to adopt environmentally friendly practices and promote the green transformation of the restaurant sector. We look forward to seeing more restaurants join the ranks of sustainable development in the future.