Eat’n Park Hospitality Group was awarded with the 2009 Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award for its responsible business decisions and sustainable business practices from the Society of Financial Service Professionals, Pittsburgh chapter.
Eat’n Park Hospitality Group was nominated by the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) for its ongoing support of local agriculture through its FarmSource program, established in 2002, which focuses on purchasing the freshest ingredients and products from growers and producers within 125 miles of Eat’n Park facilities across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia. The company now purchases more than 20 percent of its food locally.
“Eat’n Park Hospitality Group has been a leader in the region in terms of local purchasing,” says Mia Farmer, outreach coordinator for PASA. “The initiative to find and partner with the finest local growers sets the tone for corporate responsibility in a way that truly respects our region’s agricultural heritage.”
The Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award, now in its ninth year, is designed to honor U.S. companies demonstrating a firm commitment to ethical practices in every day operations, philosophies, and responses to crises and challenges.
Recently, Eat’n Park Hospitality Group and its FarmSource program was also awarded the 2009 Harvest Award for Connecting Communities, Farmers and Food from Glynwood, a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to save farming in the Northeast and increase access to locally produced and sourced foods.
In addition to FarmSource, Eat’n Park Hospitality Group embraces other green and sustainable practices through its EcoSteps program, including practices such as: purchasing rBST-free dairy, eliminating paper towels and placemats in all restaurant locations, recycling fryer oil into bio-fuel, utilizing more energy-efficient light bulbs, and composting and developing gardens at many Parkhurst and Cura locations, among other initiatives. Eat’n Park is also constructing a new restaurant in Fox Chapel, which will be Pittsburgh’s first LEED-certified restaurant. The eco-friendly restaurant will open later this year.
