Zero Single-Use Plastic at ITC Cafeteria - for no additional cost

At the headquarter of the International Trade Centre (ITC) in Geneva, they have successfully eliminated single-use plastics in their catering operations. From the month when this was achieved, May 2019, till November 2020, the consumption of 153 kg of plastic was avoided. The 54,000 plastic spoons and 4,950 plastic containers that otherwise would have been consumed were replaced by 34,000 wooden stirrers and 2,600 ecological containers.

To begin this successful pursuit, the catering company and the Central Support Services (CSS) of ITC did in 2018, an inventory of all single-use plastics items used for their catering operations.  From this they established the items they were to eliminate from the cafeteria, and what to replace these items with. As an encouraging surprise, the catering company agreed to absorb the extra financial cost following the introduction of the non-plastic, ecological alternatives.

Today, one year after this achievement, no staff members have indicated that they miss the single-use plastic in the cafeteria.