How composting data strengthens sustainability reports—and how to integrate it

Many organizations already publish sustainability or ESG reports. These reports increasingly shape how companies are evaluated by investors, customers, regulators, and partners. As reporting expectations rise, so does scrutiny around the quality, consistency, and credibility of the data behind sustainability claims.

One area that often receives less attention than energy, water, or emissions is food waste.

For organizations that operate kitchens, dining facilities, or food service at scale, food waste represents a material environmental impact—and an opportunity to strengthen sustainability reporting with data tied directly to day-to-day operations.

This article explains why composting data matters in sustainability reporting and how organizations can integrate it effectively, without adding unnecessary complexity. 

Drawing on Moonshot Compost’s experience as a commercial composting partner that provides measured landfill diversion and environmental impact data through its Diversion Dashboard, the guidance below reflects how sustainability teams actually use composting data in reporting and decision-making.

Why composting data matters in sustainability and ESG reporting

Sustainability reporting has shifted away from broad commitments and toward measurable, defensible metrics. Stakeholders increasingly expect organizations to demonstrate progress using data that can be tracked over time and tied to real operations.

For many commercial organizations, including restaurants, hospitality groups, campuses, healthcare systems, and corporate offices with on-site food service, food waste is a significant part of the waste stream. Yet it is often underrepresented in sustainability disclosures compared to energy use or water consumption.

Composting data helps address this gap. 

Unlike aspirational statements about waste reduction, composting programs generate tangible, measurable outcomes: how much material is diverted from landfill and how that diversion translates into environmental impact. Landfill diversion and emissions avoidance metrics complement other environmental indicators and help present a more complete picture of an organization’s footprint.

Including composting data also signals maturity in sustainability efforts. It shows that an organization is not only setting goals, but building systems to measure progress in parts of the business where food waste is generated across multiple locations and teams.

What composting data communicates about your organization

Beyond the numbers themselves, composting data sends clear signals to internal and external audiences about how sustainability is approached.

Operational commitment, not just intent

Measured composting data demonstrates that sustainability is embedded in day-to-day operations, not limited to policy statements. Effective composting programs require coordination across facilities, kitchens, janitorial teams, and sustainability leadership. Reporting on this data indicates that those systems are in place and functioning.

Accountability and transparency

Quantified diversion metrics strengthen report credibility. When organizations can point to measured results—tracked consistently over time—they reduce reliance on vague or qualitative language. This supports year-over-year comparisons and makes progress easier to evaluate.

Readiness for stakeholder scrutiny

As ESG reviews, investor inquiries, and regulatory expectations evolve, organizations benefit from having defensible data readily available. Composting metrics help demonstrate that waste management is being actively addressed and monitored, reinforcing trust with stakeholders.

The types of composting data that strengthen sustainability reports

The most valuable composing metrics are those that are measured consistently, clearly defined, and easy to contextualize.

Landfill diversion metrics

At the core of composting reporting is landfill diversion data:

• Total pounds of food waste diverted from landfill

• Trends over time (monthly, quarterly, or annual)

• Comparisons across locations for multi-site organizations

These metrics provide a concrete baseline for understanding impact and tracking progress.

Environmental impact equivalencies

Diversion data becomes more meaningful when paired with environmental context. Many sustainability teams use equivalencies, such as estimated greenhouse gas emissions avoided, to help stakeholders understand why diversion matters. When presented clearly, these metrics help connect food waste diversion to climate goals, without relying on overly complex or speculative calculations.

Operational insights that support strategy

Composting data can also reveal patterns in waste generation:

• Pickup frequency and volume trends

• High-impact locations or departments

• Opportunities for waste prevention or operational improvements

These insights help organizations move beyond reporting toward continuous improvement.

How to integrate composting data into sustainability reports

Integrating composting data does not require reinventing a reporting framework. In most cases, it fits naturally into the same sections where organizations already report on energy, water, and other environmental metrics.

Where composting data fits

Composting metrics typically appear in:

• Waste and materials management sections
• Environmental impact or ESG disclosures
• Climate narratives, as supporting context for emissions reduction efforts

The key is to treat composting data as a core environmental metric, not a footnote.

How to present composting data clearly

Clarity matters more than complexity. Effective presentation often includes:

• Simple charts showing landfill diversion over time
• Aggregated rollups for organizations with multiple locations
• Short explanatory captions connecting the data to stated goals

Well-designed visuals help stakeholders quickly grasp both scale and progress.

Common integration mistakes to avoid

Organizations can undermine their reporting by:

• Treating composting as a marketing highlight rather than a measured program
• Burying waste data without context or explanation
• Relying on estimates instead of measured, repeatable data

Avoiding these pitfalls keeps composting data credible and useful.

How composting data can inform sustainability strategy (beyond reporting)

While composting data strengthens sustainability reports, its value extends further. When used thoughtfully, it can become a tool for strategic decision-making.

Identifying where efforts matter most

Diversion data helps pinpoint where food waste volumes are highest. This allows sustainability teams to prioritize interventions, such as training, process changes, or menu adjustment, where they will have the greatest impact.

Improving consistency across locations

For multi-site organizations, composting data can highlight performance gaps between locations. These insights support standardization and help scale best practices across the organization.

Tracking progress and supporting long-term goals

Consistent measurement enables year-over-year benchmarking and goal setting. Leadership teams can evaluate whether sustainability initiatives are delivering results and adjust strategy accordingly.

Strengthening decision-making

When sustainability data is reliable, it can be confidently shared in executive and board-level discussions. This shifts sustainability conversations from storytelling to strategy, grounded in measurable outcomes.

Making composting data report-ready with Moonshot’s Diversion Dashboard

Turning composting activity into sustainability data that is consistent, defensible, and easy to use requires more than basic tracking. Sustainability teams need data that is measured reliably, organized clearly, and simple to share across the organization.

Moonshot’s proprietary Diversion Dashboard is designed to meet that need. Available alongside Moonshot’s composting service, the Dashboard provides centralized visibility into food waste diversion and environmental impact, without adding reporting burden or manual work.

What the Diversion Dashboard includes

The Diversion Dashboard gives sustainability teams access to:

• Automatically tracked pounds of food waste diverted

• Environmental impact equivalencies

• Consistent reporting across locations and time periods

Why the Diversion Dashboard is different

Many composting programs provide limited visibility beyond pickup schedules or invoices. In contrast, Moonshot’s Diversion Dashboard is built with reporting and communication in mind.

Key differences include:

• Measured, ongoing data, not assumptions or one-time estimates

• Consistent tracking over time, supporting year-over-year comparisons

• Clear, visual summaries that are easy to understand and share.

The Dashboard is designed to support internal reviews, executive updates, and external communication. Sustainability teams can easily share diversion results via email, include visuals in presentations, or highlight progress in external communications such as newsletters or social media, without additional formatting or analysis.

How Moonshot’s composting services generate report-ready sustainability data

For organizations managing multiple sites or high waste volumes, Moonshot’s combination of hands-on composting service and built-in reporting supports both meaningful environmental impact and sustainability data that organizations can use in reporting and decision-making.

To see how the Diversion Dashboard helps sustainability teams track, share, and report on composting impact, explore the Diversion Dashboard.

For more context on how Moonshot’s composting services generate this data through day-to-day operations, you can learn more about Moonshot’s commercial composting services.