One of compost’s amazing effects is retaining water in the soil, but businesses that compost can retain something as well - their employees! Composting is a powerful tool not just for the environment, but for a community to come together - including in the workplace. At Compost Nashville, we’ve helped compost over 10 million pounds of food scraps. Composting brings us together, united as a community to reduce food waste and make use of it together.

Since a good portion of our time (and out meals) are spent in offices and other work environments, it makes sense that composting shouldn’t be limited to just our homes. Creating a composting effort across a large community means we need to prevent food scraps from going to the landfill anywhere it might be created. This benefits the environment, and those working in the office who get to be part of the composting effort - it even encourages them to continue working within the company.

Don’t take our word for it! Multiple surveys indicate that millennials and Gen Z’s, the growing majority of the workforce, are becoming more intentional about finding work that in some way aligns with their values, including sustainability efforts. According to several different surveys on business development, sustainability practices of an employer is an important value. One in three potential candidates have turned down jobs due to misaligned values with a company. Roughly half of potential work candidates research a brand’s environmental impact and policies when considering whether to accept a position. One in six either have changed their job, or expect they will soon, due to concerns over sustainability efforts, while one survey found 7 in 10 employees said they’re more likely to stay with an employer that is known for their sustainability efforts.

Creating a work environment that prioritizes sustainability helps employees see that their workplace is part of an improving world. While there are a number of great ways to improve sustainability, when asked for specific ways business can take this initiative, 65% of employees said that reuse and recycling should be a priority. Composting is a form of food waste recycling, and one that is often easier to implement than other recycling programs.

While composting makes obvious sense in the food industry, such as restaurants and coffee shops, any business can start composting! People are always eating or munching on snacks, so offering compost bins in break rooms and around an office space provides a food waste solution. Used paper items, such as napkins and pizza boxes can also be composted, but they can’t be recycled. As compostable plastics and packaging become more common, having a compost bin around an office ensures they’re adequately prevented from ending up in a landfill. Composting is an option for any work environment, and we’ll be sure to make it easy, including with a valet service for bins in offices, an employee benefit option, and an easy curbside pick up plan.