| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 68.58 |
| Liaison | Mary Ellen Mallia |
| Submission Date | Jan. 15, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University at Albany
OP-7: Low Impact Dining
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 3.00 |
Tim
MacTurk Regional Manager Sodexo |
Percentage of total dining services food purchases comprised of conventionally produced animal products:
A brief description of the methodology used to track/inventory expenditures on animal products:
Data from the main suppliers of animal products was collected and sustainably produced items were identify. This includes purchasing grass fed beef for ground beef needs, local and humanely raised pork, participating in Sodexo's Marine Stewardship Council fish procurement program and purchasing dairy products from a cooperative. Note that the university instituted a grass fed beef and local "whole hog" purchasing initiative. All ground beef is grass fed, 33% of our pork purchases must come from local,humanely raised sources (currently 48% of pork in the dining halls meets this criteria), and we do holistic ordering with pork meaning that the university orders all the meat that is produced from a hog rather than ordering just select portions of meat. A worksheet detailing the low impact dining expenditure can be provided upon request.
Does the institution offer diverse, complete-protein vegan dining options at all meals in at least one dining facility on campus?:
Does the institution provide labels and/or signage that distinguishes between vegan, vegetarian (not vegan), and other items?:
Are the vegan options accessible to all members of the campus community?:
A brief description of the vegan dining program, including availability, sample menus, signage and any promotional activities (e.g. “Meatless Mondays”):
All five of our residential dining rooms offer vegan menu options which includes daily hot entrees’, soup, and a vegan salad bar for both lunch and dinner 7 days a week throughout the school calendar year. All vegan menu options have appropriate signage and can be found on the dining services web link on the school’s website. Our campus convenience store, as well as several retail dining locations, offer vegan options. Our upscale campus dining room and our catering department will graciously accommodate vegan requests.
A brief description of other efforts the institution has made to reduce the impact of its animal-derived food purchases:
The university has converted its purchase of ground beef to all grass fed beef. The university has also committed to moving towards a more holistic method of ordering meat with our "whole hog" initiative. The university orders the entire hog and uses the various meats and parts for dishes in the dining halls. This accounts for one third of our pork purchases. In addition, reducing cross contact between non-animal and animal foods is a priority for UAlbany Dining. We routinely train our staff in food safety and the importance of reducing cross contact between animal and non-animal foods.
The website URL where information about the vegan dining program is available:
Annual dining services expenditures on food:
Annual dining services expenditures on conventionally produced animal products:
Annual dining services expenditures on sustainably produced animal products:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Info on sustainable dining options is available at:
https://ualbanydining.com/health/index.html
Info on sustainable dining options is available at:
https://ualbanydining.com/health/index.html
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.