What does sustainability really mean? It’s become such a buzzword that it can feel easy to lose sight.
At its core, the definition of sustainability is simple: using resources in a way that meets our needs today without harming the planet or taking away the ability of future generations to meet theirs. And while business leaders often get caught up in the financial or regulatory implications (for good reason), the importance of sustainable operations runs deeper than cost efficiency and compliance.
Denali is driven to help businesses everywhere unlock new levels of sustainability with proven solutions that keep the food supply chain running efficiently. We helped organizations recycle more than 14 billion pounds of organic materials in 2024, and we’re committed to modeling sustainability in our own operations as well.
Here’s how we do it, and how your company can help spearhead the business sustainability movement.
Growing a Business While Limiting a Footprint
Over the past decade, Denali has evolved from a single rural location in Arkansas into the leading provider of solutions for recurring organic waste streams across the U.S. One thing we’ve come to recognize is that with business growth can come increased resource consumption and waste.
Here are some examples of how Denali maintains a focus on sustainable operations to ensure we’re doing our part in powering a circular economy, while supporting our clients’ efforts to do the same.
Energy usage
Renewable energy takes many forms, including biofuels made from recycled products and energy sourced from the sun.
Our facility in Coachella, California now has on-site solar powering a photovoltaic microgrid, made possible through the awarding of a California Energy Commission grant in 2020. Activated toward the end of 2023, the on-site solar production accounted for 25.7% of the facility’s total energy usage in 2024.
Employee training
When it comes to sustainable operations, nothing is quite so impactful as educating and empowering the people within your business to live out these principles on a daily basis. Sustainability is a key component of our safety training approach, alongside efficiency, readiness, reliability, growth and innovation.
By making training materials engaging, relevant and accessible, we’ve been able to cultivate a knowledgeable and prepared workforce. We’re proud to have a 100% completion rate among our employees for safety training, with each employee annually receiving more than 20 hours of training on average.
For our clients in industries like food manufacturing, grocery, or restaurants, a robust safety training infrastructure can offer many sustainability benefits:
- Reduces waste: Proper safety training helps prevent accidents and mistakes that can lead to spoiled products, recalls, or unnecessary disposal.
- Protects people: Keeping workers and customers safe builds trust and ensures long-term business stability.
- Improves efficiency: Well-trained employees handle equipment and materials correctly, reducing downtime and resource loss.
- Supports compliance: Meeting food safety and workplace safety standards avoids costly penalties and disruptions.
- Builds resilience: Safer operations mean fewer interruptions, helping the business run smoothly and sustainably over time.
A diverse and qualified workforce
Again: powering a circular economy really comes down to the people. As a business, we feel one of the most important things we can do is build teams that bring varied perspectives and represent the communities they serve.
We believe in fostering a diverse, skilled workforce and empowering employees through tools, training and growth opportunities. This ensures they can deliver exceptional service while advancing our mission to repurpose waste. This employee-driven culture of engagement and stewardship directly supports sustainable operations by aligning talent development with environmental impact.
Your Partner in Sustainable Operations
As businesses grow, they need sustainability solutions and practices that scale. This is where Denali specializes. From innovative products to expert services, we’re helping businesses across the country tackle the challenges of growing their business while keeping their environmental footprint in check.
Learn more about who we are, where we came from, and where we’re going on Denali’s About Us page.
