EMEA: Hilton’s Green Ramadan Initiative this year has helped avoid more than 2.6 tonnes of food waste – the equivalent of more than 6,000 meals.
A 26 per cent reduction in post-consumer plate waste was achieved during the holy month.
The programme, which has been running for several years has also expanded to 45 hotels in 14 countries in EMEA and APAC. More than 340,000 guests were served during iftar and suhoor – traditional meals during Ramadan.
The participating hotels in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Türkiye, Malaysia, the Seychelles and Nigeria undertook training focusing on local sourcing, sustainable gastronomy, diversion by donation, composting where possible and forensic waste management.
The most common items wasted included bread and pastry, vegetables, meat and grains.
By adopting interventions such as guest messaging, smaller portions, live cooking stations, efficient food displays and switching to set menus, the campaign broke through food waste awareness barriers with an educational and interactive approach.
The 2025 campaign saw plate waste dropping from 102g to 64g per cover over the course of the month. Additionally, over 11 tonnes of CO2 emissions were prevented, equating to more than 720,000 smartphone charges. Total food waste was reduced by 35 per cent.
The campaign was developed and delivered once again in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) West Asia under the Recipe of Change campaign, and Winnow – an AI-enabled food waste management solution.
In 2025, the programme saw even greater integration across hotel teams, with Green Ramadan becoming a platform for locally led action, data-driven decision-making, and consistent team engagement throughout the month. From front of house to kitchen operations, team members across departments worked together to create more sustainable dining experiences and reduce avoidable waste.
Hilton continues to partner with UNEP West Asia under the Recipe of Change campaign and Winnow to drive sustainable gastronomy and food value chain transformation across its global portfolio.
Hilton tests Winnow food waste technology in three EMEA hotels
Image: © 2025 Hilton.