Tackling food waste management: Professional training in the public interest

The magnitude of food waste is a matter of public concern, particularly in the food service sector. This research seeks to examine the influence of employee training policies on food waste and its management, with a focus on restaurant practices. A total of 300 questionnaires were collected from restaurant managers and owners in three coastal cities of Ecuador, and the CHAID segmentation algorithm was applied to categorize restaurants based on their investments in employee training. Differences in food waste and sustainable practices among these restaurant segments were then compared. Three segments were identified: restaurants with low employee training and higher food waste in dish preparation; restaurants with high employee training exhibiting low food waste in premium food products, and restaurants with medium training and medium levels of food waste. In terms of implications, in view of the significant disparities in food waste levels and sustainable practices across the segments resulting from this study, we conclude the importance of restaurants' investment in employee training to promote sustainability. These findings are relevant in shaping environmental regulations and in facilitating stakeholders' decision-making.