University of California, San Diego
OP-T2-6: Guidelines for Franchisees

Developing and implementing aggressive campus sustainable food goals are critical program components for a sustainable campus. The Campus Sustainable Food Services Work Group (Campus Work Group) members collaborate to define and implement the UC San Diego Sustainable Food Services Plan (Plan). The purpose of the Plan is to ensure achievement of the University of California, Office of the President’s Policy on Sustainable Practices (UCOP Policy) as it pertains to food services and to enable achievement of UC San Diego and UC San Diego Medical Centers sustainable food service operations goals.

UC San Diego and UC San Diego Medical Centers Sustainable Food Services Goals include:
-Increase sustainable, local, fair trade, and organic food purchased and served by campus foodservices providers as follows:
-25% by 2016,
-30% by 2021, and
-Re-evaluate goals and revise the definition of “local” during biennial review of this Plan,
-Assess economic, environmental, and resource availability factors associated with individual food products. Outcomes may be used to revise definitions and establish goals to maximize food sourcing within a more closely defined radius. Study topics will include:
-Contract renewals and appropriateness of requiring deadlines or specific actions by vendors, and
-Sustainability of regionally grown foods, (e.g., suitability of crops to growth region, seasonality, water intensity, etc.),
-Socially and environmentally responsible campus and food service operations and practices as defined by UCOP Policy
-Utilize research and education to facilitate engagement in the campus food program and education of the campus community,
-Continued collaboration between campus food service stakeholders,
-Biennial review and update of the campus-specific food service policies and guidelines, and
-Utilizing data obtained from the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS), by March 1 of each year for data ending December 31 of the previous year, provide annual food service data.

Key Policies and Guidelines
a. UCOP requirements
b. AASHE STARS Metrics
c. Real Food Challenge Core Principles
d. Green Business Certification
e. UCOP and UC San Diego Procurement Guidelines
f. Campus Specific Guidelines and Policies
-Fair Trade Policy
-Styrofoam Policy
Vendors are in the process of transitioning to eco-friendly product packaging and have been encouraged to use and sell Fair Trade products. Cooking grease from restaurant vendors is collected, recycled, and re-used in other products. University Centers hosted a Fair Trade and Sustainability Exposition in 2010 to encourage vendors to incorporate sustainable practices into their business. A campus-wide vendor assessment of Fair Trade activities was conducted in April 2010 and can be viewed at http://hds.ucsd.edu/fairtrade/images/fairtrade.pdf

http://hds.ucsd.edu/fairtrade/images/fairtrade.pdf