| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.91 |
| Liaison | Julie Hopper |
| Submission Date | Dec. 20, 2023 |
University of Southern California
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.89 / 6.00 |
Louis
Rodriguez Associate Director- USC Hospitality USC Hospitality-Purchasing |
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced:
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on plant-based foods:
An inventory of food and beverage purchases that qualify as sustainably/ethically produced:
A brief description of the methodology used to conduct the inventory, including the timeframe and how representative samples accounted for seasonal variation (if applicable):
CERTIFIED/VERIFIED & INSTITUTIONALLY AFFIRMED FOODS:
USC Hospitality’s suppliers were requested to send detailed reports listing all items purchased by on-campus dining and catering operations for the time period analyzed (July 1st, 2022-June 30th, 2023).
Reports include all commodity categories below:
- Protein
- Seafood
- Eggs
- Produce/ Diary
- Grocery/staples
- Tea and coffee
- Other non-dairy beverages
Measuring is based on total overall purchases divided by total sustainable items purchased. USC Purchasing and Data Analytics team analyzed the information to ensure that it meets the AASHE STARS 2.2 guidelines.
PLANT BASED FOODS:
Plant based foods purchased during the reporting timeframe (July 1st, 2022-June 30th, 2023) were identified by tagging all vegan ingredients used by Residential Dining in the menu management program, CBORD. USC Residential Dining's definition of vegan does not include any animal products or products made using animal products in the manufacturing process. USC Hospitality's dietitian tagged all items for CBORD and worked with the Systems department to run the appropriate report showing total expenditures for these items forJuly 1st, 2022-June 30th, 2023 for Residential Dining. For this report, items were then categorized according to the menus of change guidelines.
Website URL where the institution’s validated Real/Good Food Calculator results are publicly posted:
Which of the following food service providers are present on campus and included in the inventory/assessment?:
| Present? | Included? | |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by the institution | Yes | Yes |
| Dining operations and catering services operated by a contractor | No | No |
| Student-run food/catering services | No | No |
| Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) | Yes | No |
| Convenience stores | Yes | No |
| Vending services | Yes | No |
| Concessions | No | No |
Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
A brief description of the institution’s sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:
Sustainable sourcing is a process of purchasing goods and services that take into consideration the long-term impact that affects the people, planet, and production involved. Consideration is taken on how products are made, where they come from, and how they are transported. Locally grown foods from farms that value animal welfare and nutritional integrity play an important role in the sourcing process.
USC Hospitality has exceeded its sustainability goals by increasing the percentage of sustainable food purchases to over 50 percent in the last eight years. The report is based on Residential Restaurants, Central Product Kitchens, Banquets, and Catering.
USC Hospitality uses the following food categories and definitions in its sustainability metrics:
Seafood is sustainable if it meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certified
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Watch Sustainability Ranking System (MBA Sustainable)
- Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP)
- Sea Pact Member (sustainability improvement within seafood industry)
Protein (meat) is sustainable if it meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Never Ever Program Member (hormone free/antibiotic free/not fed animal by-products)
- Certified Humane Raised & Handled
- American Grassfed Association Certified (AGA Certified)
- Pasture Raised
Produce is sustainable if it meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Locally sourced within 250 mile radius or within the state
- USDA Organic
- Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
- Protected Harvest Certified
- Non-GMO Project Certified
- Farm Sustainability Assessment
- Sustainably Grown Certified
Groceries are sustainable if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
- USDA Organic
- Fair Trade Certified
- Non-GMO Certified
- Global Growers
-Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)
Dairy is sustainable if it meets at least one of the following criteria:
- Locally sourced within 250 mile radius or within the state
- USDA Organic
- Non-GMO Certified
- Antibiotic Free
- Pasture Raised
- USDA Graded Cage-free
Disposable Items are sustainable if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) Certified Compostable
- Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) Certified
- Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified
- USDA Certified Biobased Product
- EcoLogo Certified
- Green Seal Certified
Website URL where information about the food and beverage purchasing program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Measurements are based on annual purchasing reports (FY2023; July 2022 – June 2023). Reports are pulled from our vendors’ databases which include the 3rd party criteria identified for qualifying sustainable items.
Measurements are based on annual purchasing reports (FY2023; July 2022 – June 2023). Reports are pulled from our vendors’ databases which include the 3rd party criteria identified for qualifying sustainable items.
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.