More than 210 airport dining locations operated by Paradies Lagardère have earned Certified Green Restaurant® status, marking a major sustainability milestone for one of North America’s largest airport concessionaires.
In partnership with the Green Restaurant Association, Paradies Lagardère achieved certification for more than 98.5% of its 213 airport dining locations following a yearlong effort to elevate environmental performance across its portfolio. The initiative included more than 5,000 documented environmental actions and over 21,450 GreenPoints™, reflecting progress in areas such as recycling, water conservation, energy efficiency and the elimination of polystyrene foam.
Based on national restaurant averages, the 210 certified locations are projected to save up to 7.6 million kilowatt-hours of energy annually, reduce water use by approximately 6.6 million gallons and divert an estimated 5.8 million pounds of waste from landfills. Collectively, those savings are equivalent to removing roughly 1,130 cars from the road each year while conserving enough water to fill more than 600 average backyard swimming pools.
The Green Restaurant Association certification evaluates restaurants across multiple criteria, including energy and water efficiency, waste reduction and responsible sourcing. Paradies Lagardère’s locations achieved Level 1 Certified Green Restaurant® status by completing improvements across energy, water, waste, reusables and disposables, chemicals and pollution and food practices. The company continues to work with a remaining brand partner to complete upgrades needed to extend certification across its full dining portfolio.
“This milestone reflects the passion and teamwork of so many people across our company,” says Valerie Davis, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Paradies Lagardère. “We’re incredibly proud to see our airport restaurants become Certified Green Restaurants®. It’s a big step forward in our journey to make airport dining more sustainable and to show that even in fast-paced travel environments, meaningful environmental action is possible.”
Michael Oshman, CEO and founder of the Green Restaurant Association, says the scope of the effort sets a strong example for the broader foodservice industry. “The environmental practices of Paradies Lagardère and their 210 locations are a significant step forward for restaurants and environmental change. They show that it’s possible for any operation to meaningfully reduce its environmental footprint today.”
Founded in 1990, the Green Restaurant Association has spent more than three decades researching the intersection of restaurants and sustainability. Its certification framework awards GreenPoints™ across eight categories—Energy, Water, Waste, Reusables and Disposables, Chemicals and Pollution, Food, Building and Furnishing and Education and Transparency—providing both a benchmark for achievement and a roadmap for continued improvement.
“We hope to set a powerful example for how large-scale foodservice operations can adopt environmentally responsible practices that make a measurable difference,” says Leigh Allan, SVP of Operations for the Dining Division at Paradies Lagardère.
Looking ahead, the company plans to continue working with the Green Restaurant Association to pursue higher certification levels as part of a broader sustainability strategy focused on responsible sourcing, waste reduction and reducing carbon impact. Travelers can learn more about each restaurant’s environmental accomplishments at dinegreen.com/paradieslagardere.
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