7. Sustainable Food

Why measure this?

The food we consume accounts for around 30% of the UK’s carbon footprint according to Sustain, WWF and the Food Climate Research Network.Universities have a significant role to play in the food chain both as procurers and providers of food to over 2 million students each year. People & Planet believes education institutions have a responsibility to address the sustainability and carbon intensity of their food supply chains, whether it is provided internally or through contractors.

The People & Planet Green League awards points specifically for institutions that have made a high-level policy commitment to improving performance around sustainable food, setting a good example for students and staff. Whilst contract caterers may operate sustainably and have sustainability policies in place People & Planet (and the leading sector body - Sustain) believe it is vital that universities adopt their own clear policy to demonstrate they recognise the importance of food and take seriously the wellbeing of their staff and students and the sustainability impacts of food. A template sustainable food policy can be downloaded from the Sustain website.

The People & Planet Green League also awards points to institutions that can show they are already taking simple, concrete steps to improve the sustainability of the food they offer staff and students. These include simple actions such as only purchasing/serving free-range eggs or organic milk, sourcing sustainable fish, serving seasonal fruit & vegetables, reducing meat & dairy consumption and not offering bottled water. The Green League rewards universities taking a range of the above actions (whether or not they are providing catering themselves or requiring their contract caterers to fullfil them) or alternatively, for achieving an equivalent standard in the Soil Association’s Food for Life accreditation scheme. Introduced in 2009, this criteria is being gradually strengthened to include a wider range of sustainable food ‘actions’ and increasing the number of actions necessary in order to gain full points.

The Food for Life Catering Mark is a unique award scheme from the Soil Association. It provides an independent guarantee that what’s on the menu is freshly prepared, seasonal and free from controversial e-numbers, trans fats, MSG and GM ingredients. It is open to all food providers and offers bronze, silver and gold awards. Institutions can apply for the Catering Mark for one or all of their food outlets. Find out more on the Soil Association website.

How are points allocated?

Total: 3 points

Institution has a publicly-available sustainable food policy which sets specific timebound targets for improvements. 0.5 Points

Institutional sustainable food policy is reported on annually at a senior level. 0.5 Points

Institution is implementing some or all of the following sustainable food practices (0 - 2* Points)

• Increasing purchase/sale of free-range eggs
• Increasing purchase/sale of sustainable fish
• Increasing seasonal variation
• Reducing sale of bottled water
• Reducing consumption of meat & dairy products
• Increasing purchase of organic milk

How is this criteria assessed?

7a) Does your institution have a publicly-available sustainable food policy (or a Sustainable Procurement Policy which integrates sustainability criteria for food) which sets specific timebound targets for improvements?

0.5 Points

Clarifications:

0.5 points will only be awarded if Policy meets the following criteria:

• Publicly-available – ie. Provide a link to where this policy can be viewed by staff/ students or explain how it can be accessed publicly
• Signed off at senior management level
• States explicitly that it covers all food outlets and food served by the university (it may exclude vending machines, and student union, for which university does not have responsibility)
• If the institution has outsources its catering, policies provided by contract caterers reflecting their principles are not acceptable here. The policy must be authored by the university itself and reflect the institution’s aims, objectives and principles with regards to healthy, sustainable food.
• Includes time-bound, measurable or specific targets for improvements in at least 4 of the following areas:

1. increasing seasonal fruit & vegetables
2. increasing higher welfare meat & dairy
3. reducing meat & dairy consumption
4. increasing purchase/sales of sustainable fish (as defined by MCS)
5. purchasing 100% organic milk
6. increasing purchase/sales of free-range eggs
7. sustainable, local sourcing
8. increasing purchase/sales of fairtrade goods
9. reducing use of artificial additives
10. removing bottled water for sale
11. reducing food waste
12. reducing water & energy usage

Evidence required:

• Please provide a web link to the policy or upload questionnaire as an attachment.
• If no weblink provided, please provide written statement and contact details for person responsible confirming that the policy is available publicly and explaining why it is not available online.

7.b) Is the sustainable food policy been reported on annually at a senior level?

0.5 Points

Clarifications:

• No points unless evidence provided that policy has been reported on since 1 April 2011.
• No points unless evidence provided that policy was reported on at a senior level.

Evidence required:

• A copy of the annual report, relevant committee meeting minutes or evidence of reporting structure if policy is less than a year old.
• Specify the staff member (job title)/ committee to which the report was made.

7.c) Which of the following sustainable food practices are being implemented at your institution?

0-2 Points

Clarifications:

• 0 points if less than 3 of the below, or if adequate evidence not provided.
• 1 point if doing 3 or 4 or confirmation from Soil Association that working towards Food for Life Bronze accreditation*
• 2 points if doing 5 or 6 or accredited to Food for Life bronze standard or higher.

NB: points are available regardless of whether you receive points for 7a or 7b.

*’Working towards’ refers to institutions officially in contact with the Soil Association’s Catering Mark Officer, Michael Bond, and confirmed by the Soil Association as actively working towards Food for Life accreditation.

Clarifications and Evidence Requirements

• If your institution HAS ACHIEVED Food For Life accreditation, simply complete and attach a signed Sustainable Food declaration (download form) from your Catering Manager confirming which of the criteria in 7c (i-vii) the institution meets and how. Please also include their full contact details.
• If the institution HAS NOT ACHIEVED Food For Life accreditation, evidence must be provided as indicated below for each of the criteria 7c (ii-vii)

The following actions can apply to catering outlets (eg. cafeterias) or retail outlets selling food.

i) Food for Life certification

Is the institution working towards Food for Life accreditation with the Soil Association? If yes, what level of accreditation have you achieved and how many outlets are covered?

Clarifications:

• ’Working towards’ refers to institutions officially in contact with the Catering Mark Manager, Michael Bond, and registered by the Soil Association as working towards Food for Life accreditation by 1 April 2013. Confirmation will be sought directly from the Soil Association that the institution is actively working towards to Food for Life certification.

Evidence required:

• Completed Sustainable Food declaration signed by institution’s Catering Manager.
• Copy of Food for Life certification covering more than one outlet confirmation from Soil Association and/or evidence of certification of more than one outlet.

ii) Free-range Eggs

Does the university ensure that on an ongoing basis all whole/liquid/dried eggs are purchased from a free-range production system and any products purchased containing egg state that the eggs are from a free-range production system?

Clarifications:

• A Good Egg Award is not sufficient evidence of using free range eggs, as it is awarded for the use of cage-free eggs which is a lower welfare standard than free range.
• This criteria applies to both catering outlets (eg. cafeterias) managed by the university and external food retailers based on campus.

Evidence required:

• Completed Sustainable Food declaration signed by institution’s Catering Manager.
• At least 2 invoices dated since 1 April 2012 and clearly highlight them to show the purchase of 100% free-range eggs and egg products (or provide highlighted extract from catering contract confirming the same)

iii) Sustainable Fish

Has the university eliminated any fish from the menu which appear on the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) ‘’red list’’ or avoid tuna which has been caught using purse seine nets with Fish Aggregation Devices (FADS) and does the university seek to serve MSC certified fish and maximise use of fish on the MCS ‘fish to eat’ list?

Clarifications:

• This criteria applies to both catering outlets (eg. cafeterias) managed by the university and external food retailers based on campus.
• Citing a suppliers MSC Chain of Custody certification is not admissible as evidence. The certification pertains only to the MSC fish that supplier supplies, and as such is not proof of the sustainability of all fish products bought by the institution.

Evidence required:

• Completed Sustainable Food declaration signed by institution’s Catering Manager.

Plus ONE of the following:

• 2 random invoices clearly highlighted to show the purchase of fish and fish products with MSC certification (or highlighted extract from catering contract confirming the same) NB: no point awarded if fish appear on either red list
• Evidence of correspondence with suppliers requesting MSC certified fish or fish that does not appear on any ‘red list’ and the return correspodence from suppliers.

iv) Seasonal variation

Do all food offers/menus change with the availability of seasonal produce with at least 2 (major) items per main dish served in the season it is naturally abundant?

Clarifications:

• Menus must either use a broad specification like ‘seasonal vegetables’ or state clearly that fruit and vegetables are subject to seasonal variation.
• This criteria applies to both catering outlets (eg. cafeterias) managed by the university and external food retailers based on campus.

Evidence required:

• Completed Sustainable Food declaration signed by institution’s Catering Manager.
• At least 2 dated menus from across the academic year since 1 April 2012 which clearly highlight the use of seasonal fruit and vegetables.

v)Reduced sale of bottled water

Has the university has stopped offering purchased bottled water in its hospitality service(NB: this does not apply to water bottled on site from the mains)?

Clarifications:

• This criteria applies to both catering outlets (eg. cafeterias) managed by the university and external food retailers based on campus.

Evidence required:

• Completed Sustainable Food declaration signed by institution’s Catering Manager.

vi) Purchasing 100% organic milk

Does the institution ensure that on an ongoing basis all milk purchased is certified as organic?

Evidence required:

• 2 random invoices dated since 1 April 2012 clearly highlighted to show the purchase of 100% organic milk.
• Completed Sustainable Food declaration signed by institution’s Catering Manager.

vii) Less and better meat & dairy

Does the institution use 100% Red Tractor Assured meat & dairy products and/or follow Feel Good Food Days guidance on meat/dairy portions and/or hold at least one meatfree day each week?

Clarifications:

This criteria applies to both catering outlets (eg. cafeterias) managed by the university and external food retailers based on campus.

Evidence required:

• Completed Sustainable Food declarationsigned by institution’s Catering Manager.

Plus ONE or more of the following:

• 2 random invoices showing that 100% of the livestock produce (meat and dairy) used meets the Red Tractor Assured standards as a minimum.
• 2 recipes showing use of recommended smaller meat or dairy portions
• at least 2 dated menus from across the academic year highlighting meat-free days.

Next: Staff and Student Engagement

Back to Methodology page