Caffé Bellagio, Locanda del Lago’s annex location on 3rd Street Promenade, was awarded the Sustainable Quality Award for Excellence in Social Responsibility Stewardship of the Environment.
The Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce awards were presented at a ceremony on Thursday April 21.
According to the Chamber, “The Sustainable Quality Awards (SQA) inspire local businesses to adopt sustainable practices and support Santa Monica as a sustainable community.”
Caffé Bellagio Owner West Hooker-Poletti says they are honored to once again be receiving recognition by the Chamber for their sustainability practices including incorporating an Environment Commitment policy in their company handbook detailing their focus on resource efficiency, buying recycled and buying local. The coffee house has been Green Business Certified since 2014.
In the summertime during busy tourism season, Caffé Bellagio hires both college students from Italy and local students from the CIA Culinary Academy to fill seasonal positions. From flexible scheduling, competitive wages, and annual employee appreciation parties, it is apparent Caffé Bellagio greatly values their staff.
The caffe’ had a 25 percent turnover for staff in 2015 compared to the 62.6 percent average turnover rate for the restaurant industry reported by NRA.
