Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1517660
NEWS 14 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 20 MARCH 2024 ITS holds second Open Doors event PREMIER Restaurants Malta, which operates McDonald's on the island, has reduced 15 tonnes of plastic waste in 2023 as part of its drive to become plastic-free by 2025. Globally, McDonald's is more than 80% of the way towards its goal of sourcing 100% of primary guest packag- ing from renewable, recycled, or certified materials, as part of its commitment to a cir- cular economy and net zero emissions by 2050. As the world marks Global Recycling Day on March 18, the McDonald's commitment has been renewed by Premier Capital plc, the developmen- tal licensee for McDonald's in six countries: Malta, Romania, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. "Representing one of the world's greatest global brands gives us the opportunity to make a real impact when we introduce important changes in our processes. We are se- rious about our commitment to keep communities clean, protect the planet for future generations to ensure our long-term business resilience and being transparent about our environmental actions. We would also like to encour- age our customers to actively participate and join our mis- sion by using our recycling stations to separate waste at our restaurants" said Manue- le Vagnoli, Director of ESG at Premier Capital. McDonald's is achieving its goals worldwide through a va- riety of strategies, including the elimination of unnecessary packaging, the transition away from virgin fossil fuel-based plastics, increased use of re- cycled materials, simplifying recycling for customers, as well as strategic partnerships with other brands on the same mission. Since 2018, McDon- ald's has already halved its use of plastics in Happy Meal toys around the world and other initiatives have includ- ed switching to paper-based straws, removing unnecessary plastic lids and introducing salad boxes and cutlery made from renewable fibre. In Malta, Premier Restau- rants has achieved its target of having 70% of all its waste recycled and introduced waste separation in both kitchen and lobby areas. Since 2019, its supply chain division has diligently pursued sustain- able alternatives to primary packaging plastics, sourcing materials that are recyclable, renewable, or certified. As a result of these efforts, Mc- Donald's locally have avoided the acquisition and distribu- tion of an estimated 15 tonnes of plastic primary packaging annually. Significant success was also registered in Premier Capi- tal's Greek operation where McDonald's became one of the first food retail networks in the country to feature a zero-waste programme to minimise and recycle waste from its restaurants, includ- ing packaging and food waste from the restaurant floor and the kitchen, in collaboration with Polygreen. A zero-waste strategy is an approach aimed at minimis- ing or eliminating the amount of waste sent to landfill sites through the use of waste re- duction, reusing, recycling, composting, using waste for energy and other practices. So far, two of its restaurants are successfully operating this programme and the plan is to roll it out to more restaurants over the coming years, paired with an awareness campaign. McDonald's in Malta marks global recycling day with fresh commitment to circular economy THIS week, the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) wel- comed prospective students and their families for its second an- nual Open Doors event. The Open Doors event was aimed to showcase the diverse range of study programmes offered at ITS and to provide members of the public with a taste of what the education- al experience at ITS would be like. Attendees enjoyed demon- strations and presentations from various study programs such as Diving Safety Man- agement, Travel and Tourism, Tourist Guiding, Internation- al Hospitality Management, Languages, Climate Friendly Travel and Kitchen and Pastry. Prospective students gained insights about ITS' study pro- grammes which range from Foundation Level to Master's Level. Throughout the event, attend- ees had the opportunity to con- nect and engage with different departments such as Student Support, Internship Office and Erasmus, who were available to offer guidance and assistance to prospective students. Ad- ditionally, guests at the event were treated to live demon- strations as both students and their lecturers collaborated to prepare a variety of pastry items, smoothies, cocktails and mocktails, along with student competitions which showcased the students' talent. Additionally, two master- classes were offered to the pub- lic. A wine masterclass which was available for wine enthu- siasts featuring some of the finest wines. While a cooking masterclass was organised by the ITS Training School. Ad- ditionally, attendees were able to participate in enlightening public lectures. The Open Doors event was a great opportunity for prospec- tive students a comprehensive view of campus in Malta, con- nect with industry profession- als and fellow students, and have some fun along the way. The Institute of Tourism Stud- ies looks forward to welcoming new students and continuing to provide quality education in the field of tourism. The Institute of Tourism Studies also published its pro- spectus online for academic year 2024/25 which may be found on the following link - https://its.edu.mt/prospectus