Saint Mary's College of California
OP-8: Sustainable Dining
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:
A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
Yes. Saint Mary’s College operates a 1/2 acre urban farm on campus. The farm was built by and maintained by a Sodexo employee for the past 14 years. This year the school decided to transfer management of the farm and will continue to partner closely with Good Eating Company on workshops, classes, special events and programs that draw connections between food service on campus and the farm. When possible Good Eating Company utilizes fresh herbs and fruit such as apples from the campus farm into menu specials.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a sustainability-themed food outlet on-site, either independently or in partnership with a contractor or retailer?:
A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
Good Eating Company instills sustainability into our entire dining operations, it is part of our culture and our way of doing business. From operational trainings to educational opportunities including field trips and brown bag lunch and learn sessions, and the Better Tomorrow Community of practice, everyone on our team learns the reasons why we do the things we do, because it’s good for the planet and for the communities in which we operate. From food labels that indicate when items are procured from local farms and vendors to educational signage, pop-ups with local vendors and other engagement activities. We work to integrate the sustainable dining experience into the campus community in a holistic way.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor support disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through its food and beverage purchasing?:
A brief description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
Yes. Sodexo and Good Eating Company are committed to supporting diverse and local SMEs through our food and beverage purchases. For the quarter assessed GEC purchases from small and diverse suppliers at SMC totaled approximately 30%.
Sodexo’s Supply Management Supplier Diversity Program
At Sodexo, Diversity and Inclusion is embedded in our business and our values. We believe that diversity in our workforce gives us access to the best talent, and our D&I culture provides the ability to attract and retain this talent. This belief transcends into our supply base. We know that working with suppliers that mirror our consumers and our communities makes our company more relevant in the markets in which we operate. We also know that we want to partner with companies that have the same convictions about utilizing talent in all its forms.
The Partner Inclusion Program leverages best practices from Sodexo operations around the world in support of a commitment that all countries will develop strong and sustainable relationships with suppliers in at least one of the following categories:
• Small-and medium-sized Enterprises (SME’s), including social and micro-enterprises
• Suppliers from minority and other under-represented and/or protected groups (as defined in country), with an emphasis on women-owned businesses
• Major Sodexo suppliers will demonstrate a diverse workforce composition, actively embracing diversity and inclusion and promoting local supply chain inclusion.
Sodexo has publicly committed to having an inclusion program and tracks their progress by country annually for both women and underutilized suppliers as defined in country as well as spend with local small businesses or SME (Small Medium Enterprise) with goals of 25% SME spend globally focusing on diverse SMEs by 2025.
Supplier Diversity Procurement Policy in the US
The use of diverse suppliers and partners throughout the organization brings better value to our customers, clientele and the communities in which we live, work, and serve. As a result, we will:
• Hold all management personally accountable for increasing Supplier Diversity spend through our Diversity Scorecard
• Include qualified diverse vendors in all RFP’s handled by Supply Management.
• Establish supplier diversity goals for the divisions and company, reporting our supplier diversity spend on a quarterly basis.
• Actively seek diverse vendors through Sodexo’s supplier diversity website, our membership in diverse organizations and our attendance at various events.
• Require all manufacturers to establish a supplier diversity program within one year of contracting.
• Include supplier diversity as part of the business review process.
Currently in the US, Sodexo utilizes over 3000 national, regional and local diverse and small businesses. Our vendors include those that directly service our operations as well as those that provide services or products to our regional and corporate headquarters staff.
Sodexo sources opportunities for current and potential diverse vendors through a number of methods:
• Identify and contract with new vendors:
• Continue to grow our contracted diverse vendors.
• Utilize top down and field up support of diverse vendors
Estimated percentage of total food and beverage expenditures on products from disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events or promote plant-forward options?:
A brief description of the low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options:
We strive to reduce single use waste and are working on a plan to eliminate single use plastics on campus.
Utilizing WasteWatch powered by Leanpath our teams weigh and analyze all the kitchen waste every day. Twice a year we host waste awareness events on campus. We are working on a strategy for weighing post-consumer waste and creating more educational signage around reducing food waste
Good Eating Company offers an oat milk default in the coffee shop. The idea of defaults is to make the sustainable option the default option, allowing customers to opt out if they choose. Saint Mary’s College is the first university in the U.S. to participate in a full menu conversion with the esteemed non-profit organization Greener By Default. Greener By Default is implementing strategies to transition the menus in Oliver Hall to a ratio of 1/3 plant-based, 1/3 vegetarian and 1/3 meat-based entrees. This strategy relies on choice architecture and behavioral science to make choosing plant-based options the default, reducing carbon emissions in some examples by 50%, while creating more inclusive and culturally relevant menus. We currently serve a ratio of 50% vegetarian and 50% meat based entrees and including approximately 30% plant-based or vegan entrees.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a vegan dining program that makes diverse, complete-protein vegan options available to every member of the campus community at every meal?:
A brief description of the vegan dining program:
Yes. As stated above we are working on a menu implementation strategy that will offer 1/3 plant-based, 1/3 vegetarian, 1/3 meat-based entrees for all meal periods and all dining outlets inclusive of catering.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labelling and signage in dining halls?:
A brief description of the sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls:
Yes. Good Eating Company utilizes social media, food labels, and video screens on campus to share and encourage low impact food choices. Additionally, we host pop-up events and educational opportunities to share more about our low impact menus. We use enticing menu naming conventions to engage diners in eating delicious and sustainable options. We make plant-based milks the default and encourage people to “opt-out” for dairy milk and meat entrees on catering buffets.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor participate in a competition or commitment program and/or use a food waste prevention system to track and improve its food management practices?:
A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:
Good Eating Company utilizes waste watch powered by Leanpath to weigh kitchen waste before and after each meal period, every day. Our operators use the Leanpath dashboard and culinary meeting agendas to better understand why waste is occurring and make adjustments in real time to course correct. The Leanpath program helps sites reduce food waste by 50% within the first year of implementation. Our top wasted food items are vegetable trimmings and we are working on strategies to utilize these “wasted” items in an upcycled vegetable broth and other applications.
Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented trayless dining (in which trays are removed from or not available in dining halls) and/or modified menus/portions to reduce post-consumer food waste?:
A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:
Saint Mary’s College has been trayless since 2006. We also offer the option for guests to customize their meals by asking for smaller portions or the elimination of certain items (e.g. no bun for a sandwich or a stir fry without peppers).
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor donate food that would otherwise go to waste to feed people?:
A brief description of the food donation program:
We have a partnership with white pony express to donate excess food. Additionally we partner with the campus food pantry, Gael Pantry to donate fresh fruit and vegetables on a weekly basis to food insecure students. We also partner with the campus office of mission and ministry to donate food for the campus wide solidarity suppers to create more visibility and community around food insecurity on campus.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses?:
A brief description of the food materials diversion program:
All food materials are diverted from the landfill via a composting food-to-energy program operated by Republic Services. Republic hauls the food waste generated on campus to an anaerobic digestor operated by EBMUD in Oakland. All food waste from Saint Mary's campus is trucked first to Republic Service's transfer station in Martinez and then to EBMUD's wastewater treatment plant in Oakland. The rotting food releases methane (a greenhouse gas 30 x more potent than CO2), which is processed and captured in a series of anaerobic digesters rather than being released into the atmosphere. EBMUD uses the energy to power the Oakland plant and sells the excess electricity it produces back to the PG&E -- it was the first wastewater utility in the country to do so, paving the way for dozens of others to follow suit.
At our disposal stations (at our main dining hall and at our cafe), we updated all signage and included a shadow box that illustrates what items go where.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a pre-consumer composting program?:
A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:
All kitchen food waste is also processed the same way that post-consumer food waste is processed. Additionally we are working on a system to bring coffee grounds and other nitrogen rich food scrapes to the campus garden compost.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:
At our disposal stations (at our main dining hall and at our cafe), we updated all signage and included a shadow box that illustrates what items go where in our three-stream waste system that includes compost.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor utilize reusable service ware for “dine in” meals?:
A brief description of the reusable service ware program:
All of our service ware in Oliver Hall is reusable. Our plates, cups and bowls are made from renewable materials.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor provide reusable and/or third party certified compostable containers and service ware for “to-go” meals (in conjunction with an on-site composting program)?:
A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:
We offer a dishwasher safe reusable to-go container program free of charge to all first year students. Additional campus members can purchase a box for $3.00. Instead of a disposable container, students use reusable to-go containers which they may exchange for a clean box at the cashier. If they are not using the box right away, they are given a green carabiner clip that they may exchange for a clean container at the dining hall when they wish to get take out. The boxes are clear, green-tinted plastic and contain three food compartments.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor offer discounts or other incentives to customers who use reusable containers instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:
A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:
All First Years are given the reusable clam shell for free.
Additionally, a 20% discount is given for “Bring your own Mug”.
A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:
Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.