“Project Green Fork was launched back in 2008 by Margo McNeely. It was a restaurant certification process, so that restaurants could really manage their sustainability,” said Leann Edwards, Project Green Fork’s program director. “We were looking for a way that we could broaden our reach. We wanted to maintain the integrity of the program, but meet more people where they are.”
And so, Project Green Fork has revamped its certification process.
Last September, Project Green Fork launched its ongoing Save the Food Challenge. The organization partnered with local restaurants, going neighborhood by neighborhood, to examine how each restaurant can reduce food waste. Edwards said they’ve learned a lot from the Save the Food Challenge — one was that the certification process could use some tweaking.
During the Save the Food Challenge, they realized that restaurants need a more individualized approach.
“No two restaurants are the same,” Edwards said. “They need different things, they need different plans.”
Edwards said the “bones” of Project Green Fork’s certification process are not changing. Certification includes six steps, including waste reduction and diversion; the use of sustainable products; the use of green cleaning products; reduction of water and energy use; proper maintenance of grease traps and kitchen hoods; and donation of leftover food.
The new certification process offers tiered memberships. At the top of the four tiers are the 40 restaurants that are already Project Green Fork certified. Restaurants new to Project Green Fork can take a few steps at a time working up to be fully certified. Membership fees are also tiered.
Edwards said that going through the steps, particularly the waste reduction step, can be a cost benefit to restaurants.
“This can enhance our commitment to the community, broadening our work into new spaces and also offering educational opportunities for the restaurants that haven’t thought about [Project Green Fork] before,” Edwards said. “This is a little slower roll into the certification process.”
Project Green Fork recently began using the CareIt food donation app. Since August 2023, more than 7,000 pounds of food has been rescued. Project Green Fork works as sort of the matchmaker through CareIt. They find unused food and the rescue groups that need it.
Edwards said that, at Project Green Fork, they are continuing to make adjustments as they are learning. But, ultimately, they are committed to Project Green Fork’s original vision of fostering an environmentally positive approach for future generations.
“At the heart of it is maintaining the program integrity,” Edwards said. “It has been a very successful program since its inception. We believe that this new version of Project Green Fork’s certification is an image of the old version, just 2.0. We really think that we’ve captured those ideals.”
This article originally appeared in the Memphis Business Journal.
