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Overview
Overview
FoodWISE is a field-tested engagement model to empower frontline foodservice staff to reduce back-of-house (pre-consumer) food waste (FW), using behavior change techniques and operation-friendly approaches.
Combining structured training, participatory idea generation, and targeted implementation, the initiative brought together ten pilot sites across sectors all over the US to drive change from within their kitchens.
The program resulted in over 120 employee-generated food waste reduction ideas, with nearly 80% participation in training and submission processes from eligible employees. Piloted ideas led to reductions in food waste ranging from 12% to 35%, depending on the site and intervention.
One high-impact idea repurposed vegetable trimmings previously discarded, saving over 50 pounds of produce weekly at a single university site.
Alignment with the EAT-Lancet Commission
Alignment with the EAT-Lancet Commission
FoodWISE directly advances the EAT-Lancet Commission’s call for healthy, sustainable, and just food systems by operationalizing source reduction of food waste, a top intervention identified for planetary health. The pilot:
Reduced pre-consumer food waste in institutional foodservice.
Improved equitable engagement by elevating voices of frontline food workers.
Reinforced healthier food environments by improving forecasting, storage, & repurposing of ingredients otherwise lost.
Key actors
Key actors
Stanford Food Institute (SFI) - Project Lead, coordination, strategic advisor.
World Wildlife Fund and ReFED - Strategic stakeholders, funding and evaluation.
MCURC - foundational research insights and peer learning platforms.
Institution Leads at 10 pilot sites - training, data collection, and pilot execution.
Foodservice Employees - Primary change agents, idea submitters, and implementers.
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Engagement over Compliance: Behavior change came by treating food waste as a shared problem, not an imposed metric.
Training Must Be Hyper-Practical: Short, operations-aligned modules easy to share.
Communication Gaps = Opportunities: Several ideas were already in place, revealing a need for two-way feedback.
Scalable Recognition Matters: Recognition strongly influenced participation; local site leaders’ support was critical.
Next steps
Next steps
Develop a Library of “Best Employee Ideas” to disseminate peer-generated waste solution.
Update the Training Curriculum based on feedback.
Integrate Intrinsic Motivation Modules into the FoodWISE training design - focusing on purpose, autonomy, and mastery - to deepen employee engagement and measure impact on idea quality and implementation success.
For more information contact: Sophie Egan at smegan@stanford.edu
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