The process utilizes Vanguard Renewables’ advanced Farm Powered Anaerobic Digesters, strategically located on dairy farms. These facilities play a crucial role in the sustainable management of food waste. They operate by mixing inedible food waste from Domino’s with dairy cow manure in a sealed anaerobic digester where it decomposes with the help of naturally occurring microbes.
This decomposition generates biogas, which is then purified and converted into renewable natural gas. This gas serves as a clean, versatile fuel that powers homes, businesses, and vehicles, offering a renewable alternative to fossil fuels.
Moreover, this partnership positively impacts the agricultural sector by producing digestate from the anaerobic digestion process. This byproduct is a nutrient-rich fertilizer that supports sustainable farming practices on the dairy farms hosting the digesters. It helps reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, enhances soil health, and boosts crop productivity, fostering a holistic approach to sustainability.
Domino’s: Upholding sustainability across its operations
To tackle the broader environmental issues across its supply chain, Domino’s has outlined three focus areas to reduce its overall impact on: climate, water and waste. For its climate approach, Domino’s has committed to significantly reducing its greenhouse gas emissions across its operations, aligned with the Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to limit global warming. The company’s emission reduction goals are set for both the near-term and long-term:
- Near-term Goals by 2032:
- A 50.4% reduction in direct scope 1 and 2 emissions, which include fuels used by their fleet and emissions from energy used in their operations.
- A 30% reduction in indirect scope 3 non-FLAG emissions, which includes emissions from franchisees, waste, corporate travel, and employee commuting.
- A 36.4% reduction in indirect scope 3 FLAG emissions related to food and fiber items like pizza boxes.
- Long-term Goals by 2050:
- A 90% reduction in scope 1, 2, and 3 non-FLAG emissions.
- A 72% reduction in scope 3 FLAG emissions.
On the waste front, Domino’s is actively advancing a circular economy approach, focusing on reducing operational waste and transitioning to sustainable packaging. The company has developed strategies to divert significant amounts of waste, such as excess dough to livestock feed, and is exploring ways to minimize waste through better forecasting and operational efficiencies.
In packaging, Domino’s is increasing the recycled content of its pizza boxes and enhancing customer recycling knowledge via initiatives like recycling.dominos.com. Efforts to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics are also underway, demonstrating Domino’s commitment to minimizing its environmental footprint across all facets of operations.
Domino’s emphasizes water stewardship and waste management as key elements of its sustainability efforts. The company rigorously adheres to water permitting and compliance to protect local water quality, managing both stormwater and wastewater in accordance with federal, state, and local regulations.
Despite sourcing operational water predominantly from municipal supplies, the majority of Domino’s water footprint stems from upstream activities related to ingredient production. In 2023, Domino’s enhanced its water risk management by utilizing tools like the World Resources Institute’s Aqueduct and the WWF’s Water Risk Atlas to assess water-related risks across its supply chain and operations in the US and Canada.
