Jan Swartz of Carnival Corporation Recognized for Sustainable Food Efforts

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Jan Swartz, the executive vice president of strategic operations for Carnival Corporation & plc, a global leader in the cruise industry, has been recognized for her exceptional leadership in food waste management. She has joined Champions 12.3, an esteemed international coalition comprising nearly 40 influential leaders from government, business, and civil society. This coalition is dedicated to hastening progress towards achieving Target 12.3 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, specifically focusing on food loss and waste. Swartz’s inclusion marks a significant milestone as she becomes the first Champion from the cruise industry to join this prestigious organization.

“It’s an honor to be selected to work alongside other like-minded leaders committed to steering the world toward a more sustainable future,” said Swartz. “As industry leaders in reducing food loss and waste across our operation, Carnival Corporation realizes that collaboration leads to great solutions. I’m eager to work with leaders across several sectors to find ways to leverage each other’s learnings and expertise.”

“We are pleased that Jan will be joining the Champions 12.3 coalition. The cruise industry is an important part of the travel and hospitality sector, and as such, it has a vital role to play in helping reduce food loss and waste globally,” said Dr. Liz Goodwin OBE, member of Champions 12.3. “Jan brings a unique insight into the daily challenges of tackling food loss and waste in a globally dispersed organization operating 24/7, 365 days a year and serving millions of guests each year. She is ideally placed to represent the efforts on food waste reduction across Carnival Corporation’s nine brands and share best practices across the industry.”

Swartz’s new role as Champion is accompanied by Costa Cruises, a Carnival Corporation Italian cruise line, which has been a member of the Friends of Champions 12.3 network since 2018. Costa Cruises implements a key aspect of its food waste reduction strategy in ports across Italy and France, collaborating with local food banks to distribute fully prepared, unserved food to communities. This initiative has resulted in over 300,000 servings of food donated since 2017. While Champions 12.3 comprises executive leaders from various sectors, the Friends of Champions network encompasses nearly 150 organizations focused on specific initiatives aimed at reducing global food waste.

Swartz’s inclusion in this coalition follows shortly after Carnival Corporation announced a 38% reduction in food waste per passenger compared to its 2019 baseline, aligning with its circular economy goals to minimize resource use, waste production, and maximize recycling. This accomplishment positions the cruise company on course to achieve a 50% reduction in food waste per person by 2030, relative to its 2019 benchmark. Carnival Corporation’s teams have collaborated extensively to devise innovative strategies for proactively curbing food waste while maintaining exceptional guest experiences aboard its ships. Culinary teams track dining trends, adjust food preparation and serving quantities, and educate guests and crew on contributing to onboard food waste reduction efforts. Additionally, the company has developed recipes that utilize ingredients fully, reinforcing its commitment to advanced food loss reduction practices and positioning itself as a leader in the industry’s food waste management efforts.

« Back to Page

• Carnival Corporation Boosts Eco-Tourism with Acquisition of 5,000 Local Palm Trees for Celebration Key

• Carnival Corporation Prices €500M Notes and Reprices Loans to Cut Debt Costs

• Carnival Corporation Showcases Remarkable Progress in Sustainability Initiatives

• Successful Resolutions Passed at Carnival Corporation & plc’s Annual Shareholders Meetings in Miami, Florida

• Carnival Corporation’s Port Destination Earns Honduran Ecological BlueFlag for Environmental Stewardship