EP17: Inside Chipotle’s ambitious sustainability roadmap - Chipotle

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FUN FACT

By 2020, the company will divert 50% of all their waste from landfills.

FOUNDERS

Steve Ellis

LAUNCHED

1993

HQ

Newport Beach, CA

Chipotle burrito

Background

At over 2,500 restaurants around the world, Chipotle’s footprint is unlike most food establishments— now, or ever. The scale of their climate problem set is significant and spans multiple issue areas, from food and packaging to energy and supply chain.

The Path Forward

In 2011, Caitlin Leibert spearheaded the creation of the company’s Sustainability Department, where her and the team focus exclusively on minimizing the company’s environmental impact and developing waste reduction, energy management, and water stewardship programs across the chain’s footprint.

Episode Brief

Caitlin Leibert, Chipotle’s Head of Sustainability, joins Peter on this week’s episode to discuss:

  • Creating and implementing the company’s sustainability vision and strategy

  • Diverting 50% of their waste from landfill by 2020

  • Solving single-use packaging at scale

  • Regenerative agriculture vs lab-grown protein

  • The highest-impact areas restaurants should be prioritizing

  • Bullish or Bearish?

    1. Plant-based meat

    2. Indoor farming

    3. Veganism

    4. Online Grocery

Credits

HOST

Peter Levin

PRODUCTION

Dan Mahoney

MUSIC

Eddie Knuckles

Peter Levin