Sustainability
CAVA’S SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL INITIATIVES ARE ROOTED IN OUR MISSION: BRINGING HEART, HEALTH, AND HUMANITY TO FOOD.
Heart
We're dedicated to cultivating a culture of growth and belonging.
Guided by the skills and insights of our team members, we're intentional about bringing down barriers, creating a more inclusive world for our guests, team members, and grower and rancher partners, where all are welcome at our table.
At CAVA, we believe in serving the full scope of human needs. That's why we offer benefits, such as paid time off to vote and work in the community, adoption assistance, and mental health services for all team members and their immediate families. Starting in our restaurants, we work to create clear development paths for all our team members, so they can have not just a good job, but the opportunity to build a great career.
Today, CAVA ranks in the 90th percentile across all corporate diversity dimensions.* In 2023, our employee net promoter score was 62%, and this year, all our academy general managers were promoted internally.**
Health
Since our beginning, CAVA has been committed to the well-being of people and the planet.
We care deeply about the quality of our food, where it comes from, and how it’s created.
We are dedicated to working with farmers who share our values. We strive to source dairy products from farmers who don’t treat their cows with rbST, and as certain suppliers come on board, we ask them to verify their sustainability and sourcing credentials, including animal welfare.
We use clean-label-friendly ingredients. The chickpeas we use to make our packaged CAVA hummus are certified organic, and we also offer multiple fountain sodas that are made with Fair Trade Certified sugar. We also use seasonal promotions to drive awareness of our plant-based offerings.
Humanity
We’re invested in building healthy, resilient communities.
Approximately 13.5 million American households face food insecurity†, while the United Nations estimates that food waste is associated with 8-10 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions.†† CAVA is focused on both problems.
We’ve given CAVA restaurants processes and tools that help them estimate, order, and make the amount of food they need for every shift. We’re also working on systems to account for unsold food at the end of every day and will use what we learn to continue to reduce food waste.
We’ve always seen food as a force for good and have now raised more than $500,000 to support organizations that improve food security and support restaurant workers. As part of our Community Days program, every new CAVA restaurant celebrates by inviting its new neighbors for a free meal and matches donations guests make to local food banks or organizations, up to $1,000.
Our Community Partners
Action Pathways, Inc.
Black Brand
Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
City Blossoms
Coded by Kids
Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma
Denver Food Rescue
Feed More, Inc.
Feeding Northeast Florida
Feeding Southwest Virginia
Feeding Tampa Bay
Feeding the Gulf Coast
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina
Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore
Giving Kitchen Initiative
Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank
Grow to Learn NYC
Harry Chapin Food Bank
Harvest Hope Food Bank
Harvester's-The Community Food Network
Hatch
Island Harvest, LTD
Kid Healthy
Los Angeles Regional Food Bank
Lowcountry Food Bank
Magic City Harvest
Maryland Food Bank
Minnie’s Food Pantry
Montgomery Area Food Bank
Nashville Food Project
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People San Diego Branch
North Texas Food Bank
Northwest Arkansas Food Bank
Project Bread - The Walk for Higher, Inc.
Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, Inc.
San Antonio Food Bank
Second Harvest of the Big Bend
Second Harvest Food Bank of East TN
Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, Inc.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, Inc.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina
Second Servings of Houston
Sow Much Good
Table to Table
The Center For African American Health
The Door
The Ecology Center
The Food Bank of Southeast Virginia
Together We Can
The Food Trust
Tricycle
Urban Roots
Virginia Peninsula Foodbank
Waste Not
Working Food
*Denison Consulting: CAVA 2022 Employee Engagement Survey
**Information is current as of April 30, 2023.
† Household Food Insecurity in the United States in 2021, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service (2022).
†† Food Waste Index Report 2021, United Nations Environment Programme (2021).