Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2025: Sands Highlights its Responsible Food Practices

Established in 2016, the United Nations’ (UN) observance of Sustainable Gastronomy Day aims to raise awareness of the need to infuse sustainable practices into all areas of food production by

advocating that agriculture, fishing and food preparation are not wasteful of natural resources and can be continued into the future without detriment to the environment. The topic examines the entire food production system, from the origin of ingredients to how food is grown, gets to market and is eventually consumed.

The UN’s attention to sustainable gastronomy is driven by the world’s rising population, juxtaposed with the need for more sustainable food production systems. By 2050, the world will have more than 9 billion people, and an estimated one-third of all food produced is lost or wasted. The world’s oceans, forests and soils are being used in largely unsustainable ways.

The Sands ECO360 global sustainability program spearheads Sands’ efforts to seek and promote sustainability in its culinary offerings. The company works to source eco-friendly ingredients and provide sustainable cuisine in restaurants and catering operations by selecting foods with credible certifications, procuring ingredients that ensure animal welfare in their production, increasing plant-based proteins, addressing commodities of concern and sourcing locally when

possible. Sustainable sourcing guidelines provide procurement criteria and internal targets for sustainable food and beverage purchases in key categories.

An example of the company’s success in incorporating the ideals of Sustainable Gastronomy Day 2025, Marina Bay Sands’ RISE Restaurant received farm-to-table recognition from the Singapore government in 2024, denoting that at least 15% of its produce was procured locally across three food categories.

“In our business, we must balance delivering world-class hospitality and dining experiences with our commitment to preserving natural resources and ecosystems, and sometimes these goals can conflict with each other,” Katarina Tesarova, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, said. “Yet, we have brought the ethos of these dual priorities to all facets of our culinary operations by seeking to incorporate sustainable food offerings where we can and prioritizing responsible sourcing of the ingredients we use.”

In 2023, Sands made cage-free eggs part of its sustainable food sourcing plans by setting a goal to procure 100% cage-free eggs at its company-owned restaurants and catering operations by the end of 2028. The company has progressed in this transition more quickly than expected, increasing cage-free egg procurement from 3% to 18% between 2023 and 2024.

In Macao, Sands China moved to cage-free egg use in its buffet restaurants, after previously transitioning in-suite dining and is now targeting company-owned restaurants. In Singapore, Marina Bay Sands has incorporated cage-free eggs at its owned and operated restaurants as well as some banquet and Team Member dining outlets.

Sustainable seafood procurement is another priority for Sands, especially with the company’s spending level in this category. Sands has instituted internal policies that require company-owned restaurants and catering operations to eliminate or restrict sourcing of protected species, such as shark fin and bluefin tuna. The company also targets sourcing of seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC). In 2024, 37% of seafood purchased was from sustainable sources, up from 24% in 2023.

Sands complements its internal sustainable food sourcing practices by supporting outside organizations that are promoting responsible food production, particularly in the seafood category.

Sands China works with the Hong Kong Sustainable Seafood Coalition (HKSSC) on ongoing initiatives, and Sands’ resorts in both Macao and Singapore supported HKSSC’s outreach efforts for World Oceans Day by providing specially curated sustainable seafood dishes in honor of the observance. In Singapore, Marina Bay Sands has worked with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) for many years to champion responsible seafood production in the Asia-Pacific region.

To learn more about Sands’ efforts related to sustainable gastronomy, as well as other environmental initiatives, read the latest ESG report: https://www.sands.com/resources/reports/.