AIHM has also pledged to replace its annual 20,000-egg supply with the more humane, cage-free eggs.

 ◊ By Pure & Eco India News Desk

The Ambala Institute of Hotel Management (AIHM) has committed to incorporate animal welfare-friendly practices in its operations by 2022 following a two-day culinary workshop organised by

Humane Society International/India (HSI).

The institute serves 43,000 meals annually, and will replace 30% of all meat, dairy and egg-based menu items with plant-based options, and it will procure its annual supply of 20,000 eggs exclusively from cage-free producers.

With this move, AIHM joins a growing number of global food businesses and institutions that are making the switch to more ethical and sustainable food products.

Humane Society International/India’s Managing Director, Alokparna Sengupta, said, “College campuses are an important place to provide students with nutritious meals. This move is particularly relevant for culinary students, who will be better prepared for the growing market of consumers and businesses that recognise the future of plant-based foods and higher animal welfare. Students who have the opportunity to learn about and cultivate first-hand experience with these ingredients will no doubt be better prepared for the future. We are excited to witness this decision, and we encourage other institutes to follow.”

AIHM is a hotel management institute under the National Council for Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India. Experienced hoteliers and entrepreneurs set up the institute to bridge the gap between education, training and personnel development for the industry.

It trains up to 100 students a year in hospitality and hotel administration, and offers craftsmanship courses in food production and pastry-making, etc.

Yaashik Aggarwal, Director of AIHM, said, “Animals have been degraded for a very long time, just like natural resources. We see cruelty and torture all around us every day and at every instance, and there is little an individual can do. So, this is a small step by AIHM for a better tomorrow for people, animals and sustainable coexistence.”

HSI/India conducts plant-based awareness culinary programmes in schools and colleges throughout the country to promote more climate friendly and humane consumption patterns in India. 

HSI has trained over 500 institutional chefs around the world on plant-based cooking and has assisted hundreds of food businesses in developing and implementing cage-free egg policies in their food supply chains.

Consumers around the world are fast recognising the many benefits of moving away from animal-based diets. A plant-based diet can have a significantly smaller environmental impact, as animals’ agriculture is resource intensive, requiring significantly more water and land than farming vegetables and grains that can directly feed people.

Moreover, animal agriculture is a tremendous contributor to climate change, accounting for an estimated 14-16% of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions, which is about the same as all transportation combined.

Numerous studies indicate that a diet rich in plant-based foods can help improve health, and that people who eat fewer animal products have lower rates of obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis and certain types of cancer.

Finally, by shifting our current consumption habits, we can reduce the immense suffering of millions of animals—whether by leaving animal products off your plate entirely or by choosing products from higher welfare systems (such as cage-free eggs).

The majority of laying hens spend their entire lives in cages so small that they are unable to spread their wings, turn around or engage in any of their natural behaviours.

Cage-free production systems generally offer hens higher levels of welfare, enabling them to express more of these behaviours, including moving around, laying eggs in nests, perching and fully spreading their wings.

Note:

For support in the development of animal welfare policies in your supply or procurement chains, to request a plant-based culinary training or to adopt our ‘Meatless Monday’ programme, contact:

HSI/India at +91 9632890083 or [email protected]

Disclaimer: Reference in this article to any specific commercial product or service, or the use of any brand, trade, firm or corporation name is for the information of the public and does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation or approval by Humane Society International or its affiliates of the product or service, or its producer or provider.