Rudolf Semsei won the BCSDH Sustainable Future Award in the Change Leader category

Social responsibility also plays a key role in the life of the Semsei Group

The professional jury awards the award to leaders who, in an exemplary and systematic way, integrate sustainability into corporate operations, while inspiring and mobilizing their environment. For years, Rudolf Semsei has consistently represented the view that it is possible to operate responsibly, environmentally aware and socially sensitively in the hospitality industry – and even to be at the forefront of change.

Under his leadership, Budapest Party Service was the first to join the Food Bank’s hot meal rescue program, under which more than 50,000 portions of leftover food from events have reached those in need. In connection with the program, Rudolf also actively participated in the development of the legal and logistical framework, thus paving the way for other catering companies at an industry level. In 2024, he was elected the Food Bank’s first official ambassador.

Sustainability is a defining principle in the entire operation of Semsei Gastronomy. The company’s events and restaurants focus on reducing waste, minimizing plastic use, saving energy and water, and prioritizing environmentally friendly materials. A PET-bottle-free beverage selection, biodegradable and deposit-based takeaway packaging, and selective waste collection have become everyday practice.

Rudolf also initiated the VarjúGazda Éléskamrája Program, in which VakVarjú restaurants and Budapest Party Service purchase their ingredients from local, sustainable producers. The program, which cooperates with more than thirty small producers, not only ensures quality and freshness, but also reduces the ecological footprint through short supply chains and builds stable, ethical relationships with rural farms.

Social responsibility also plays a key role in the life of the Semsei group of companies. The program called VakVarjú Szeretetszolgálat helps disadvantaged communities with regular food distributions, charity events and fundraisers – often involving employees and partners.

Transparency and ethical leadership are also key values ​​in the work of Rudolf Semsei. He believes that sustainability can only be real if everyone involved – from employees to suppliers – participates in the process and takes joint responsibility for the decisions. As he often says: “We did not inherit the Earth from our fathers, we borrowed it from our grandchildren.”

The BCSDH recognition is for the more than two decades of work with which Rudolf Semsei has proven that hospitality can be not only a gastronomic but also a social mission. His example shows that sustainability is not a side project, but an approach that is the key to success in the long term – both humanly and commercially.