Graz hospital nominated for Austrian sustainability award

Graz University Hospital has been nominated for Austria’s 2026 Great Sustainability Award for a project to reduce food waste, ORF reports. Its measures have cut waste by about 100 tonnes a year, while also lowering costs.

The hospital spends around six million euros annually on food. Michael Kazianschütz, who heads its business and logistics operations, reviewed the entire supply chain. The reduction in waste is equivalent to about 10 truckloads that no longer need to be taken away.

Planning meals to reduce waste

The hospital’s central kitchen prepares about 8,000 meals a day. Head chef Thomas Sommer revised recipes and menus and improved kitchen processes, using information about which dishes patients eat and which are often returned to reduce overproduction.

Staff on hospital wards also help prevent waste. They cancel meals when patients are discharged early and request smaller portions when appropriate. The stocking of food vending machines is also part of the project. Under the slogan “Rescue food, save tons,” employees can buy surplus food at reduced prices.

The measures have attracted interest beyond Graz, including from Berlin’s Charité hospital. The Great Sustainability Award for Logistics will be presented in Vienna in early November by the Austrian Logistics Association and the weekly newspaper Verkehr.