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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).