Author: Jarya Kotyleng

Sustainability or social responsibility is quickly becoming one of the main concerns for both the public as well as the private sectors, and the hospitality industry is no exception. We are in the middle of the year in which Barcelona was voted the Sustainable Food Capital of the World. In this article, we are going to go over some of the main reasons why Barcelona was chosen as the World Capital of Sustainable Food for the year 2021 and what actions have been implemented so far.

The hospitality industry has historically had a dramatic impact on the environment through the consumption of energy, food, and water. With sustainability now on everyone's minds, the city of Barcelona is committed to addressing it by joining the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact.

The Milan Urban Food Policy Pact was one of the main outcomes of Milan Expo 2015. Mainly known as MUFPP, this pact is an international agreement between various mayors from several world cities. This agreement takes the form of a commitment comprising an action plan for cities with specific key performance indicators to monitor the successful implementation of the Pact. 

Barcelona has been voted the World Capital of Sustainable Food for the year 2021, an initiative that includes the development of 90 projects and policies to promote sustainable food throughout the year. Among the objectives set by the city is the promotion of healthier and more sustainable food, the creation of more economic opportunities for local sectors as well as the fight against climate problems, and the strengthening of resilience in the face of social inequalities.

To meet these great challenges, from March 16th to 25th, 2021, the Center for Studies in Science, Communication, and Society in partnership with the Barcelona Metropolitan Strategic Plan,  the World Capital of sustainable food of Barcelona, and the Barcelona City Council, organized an intensive course on collaborative innovation. 

Framed within the European project RiConfigure, the course, entitled "Meeting major societal challenges with collaborative innovation tools: the challenge of sustainable food". It was aimed to provide participants with collaborative innovation tools to tackle major societal challenges that societies face, including issues related to climate adaptation, food security, energy sufficiency, public health, and rapid urbanization. 

The market trend for most companies coming into the hospitality industry now is to be sustainable, and that is the right thing to do. Therefore, such projects are great opportunities to find ways to tackle the challenges of sustainability in the hospitality industry, which has always been a major issue.

In addition, we believe that highlighting the challenges of sustainable food is a positive indicator of the city of Barcelona's commitment to the excellence of its hospitality sector and the well-being as well as the health of its inhabitants. This thus makes Barcelona one of the main destinations for studies and internships in the hospitality industry.

Seize the opportunity to pursue a career in hospitality by enrolling at Hospitality Academy Barcelona. We offer globally accredited programs as well as internship placements ideally suited for students or professionals seeking a career in the hospitality industry. Are you ready to start your journey in the hospitality industry? Apply now!