About Emily True, Director of Sustainability at Pizza Hut
Food and farming is responsible for around one third of global greenhouse gas emissions, 70% of freshwater withdrawals and is a main driver for deforestation and biodiversity loss, according to the World Economic Forum.
Alongside manufacturing impacts on the environment, the UN environment programme reports that more than one billion tonnes of food goes to waste a year.
This is why big players in the food industry are taking a core focus on ways to reduce food production's impact on the planet.
In alignment with this, Emily True has gained the role of Director of Sustainability at Pizza Hut.
Pizza Hut, under its parent company Yum! Brands, has been taking on several initiatives to support the global movement to net zero.
More about Emily True
Emily has worked at Pizza Hut for more than three years, starting as the Global Sustainability Manager.
She has been part of several sustainability ventures that Pizza Hut has promoted such as its introductions of electric moped delivery bikes and recycling scheme.
Emily is based in Chicago and attended Duke University gaining a Master’s Degree in Environmental Management.
She says: “Limitless means thinking bigger and acting bolder — a great reminder for myself as I step into my new role with Pizza Hut as Director of Sustainability!
“Incredibly grateful every day to work alongside amazing people and inspiring leaders who make this journey possible.”
What is Pizza Hut doing to be sustainable?
Pizza Hut has taken on several initiatives in an attempt to reach sustainability goals.
Since 2012 the company has been purchasing renewable electricity and improved efficiency by installing LED light bulbs and energy efficient equipment.
The company provides segregated bins to recycle waste and remove the use of plastic straws within the establishment.
It uses recycled plastic bottles from its provider, Belu, with the hopes that the bottles will contribute to a circular economy through consistent reuse.
In 2020 Pizza Hut became a founding member of the Zero Carbon Forum, an industry collaboration that aims to set a roadmap to net zero.
In 2025 it collaborated with Otto Scooter to provide electric mopeds with the aims to make deliveries faster, greener and quieter.
The company also made a specific investment into making its cheese more sustainable, partnering with Dairy Farmers of America.
The collaboration allowed for a 10% reduction in GHG emission intensity from the milk used in PizzaHuts cheese.
Rachel Antalek, Global Chief Food Innovation Officer at Pizza Hut says: "At Pizza Hut, we've always been focused on bringing the best pizza possible to our customers, starting with key ingredients like our cheese.
"In partnership with DFA, we're further investing in making our cheese more sustainable and are very excited to see positive results in reducing our emissions at the farm level, by putting more good into our pizza."
What are Pizza Hut’s sustainability goals?
Under Emily’s leadership Pizza Hut will be aiming for several goals in the sustainability sector.
Pizza Hut says it has the ambition of reaching net zero by 2040 by regularly checking its carbon footprint, using science baked targets to reduce overall emissions and find new ways to remove carbon.
Pizza Hut’s parent company Yum! Brands outlines that it is committed to growing sustainability and being good stewards to the environment, focusing on its restaurants and supple chains.
Yum Brand! pioneers its Good Growth Strategy that aims to grow brands through improving inclusivity and sustainability.
The strategy focuses on supporting its staff in education and beyond, food safety and being good stewards to animals in its supply chain alongside constructing low-carbon restaurants.
The company has seen several benefits since implementing the scheme. David Gibbs, CEO at Yum! Brands says: “Our Good Growth strategy has propelled our sales and restaurant development, which allows us to invest more in areas like renewable energy, supplier pilot programs and technical training for at-risk youth in our communities – the Growth advances the Good.”
