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Ethical and sustainable catering

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Eat and drink sustainably and ethically

Here at Salford, we're committed to providing sustainable and ethical catering. We've thought carefully about every step in the process from how we source our ingredients, to our cooking methods, to the plates our meals are served on, and everything in between.

 

Our commitments

Plastic usage

  • We've introduced a returnable and reusable coffee cup in partnership with the University of Manchester, known as the ‘Bee Cup.’
  • We've eliminated the sale of soft drinks in plastic bottles from our catering outlets.
  • We provide additional drinking water fountains to encourage the use of re-usable water bottles
  • All water is provided in glass bottles for hospitality orders.
  • We've moved to re-usable crockery for many of our events and are looking to expand this

Fairtrade

  • Fairtrade products are used where applicable.
  • We've increased the purchase of Fairtrade certified and fair-trade goods.
  • We ensure Fairtrade foods are available for sale in all catering outlets and campus shops.
  • Our Costa coffee outlets only use beans sourced from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms. 
  • Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar are used as standard in university hospitality.
  • We run events during Fairtrade Fornight.

Waste

  • We reduce waste in our kitchens and outlets by careful planning, order control and portion sizing.
  • We support local charities with food donations where possible.
  • Food waste is re-sold and collected every Wednesday using the Too Good To Go App.
  • We provide appropriate facilities and training for staff on food waste in the back and front of house.
  • We've installed food waste bins in refectory areas.
  • We support Food Waste Action Week.

Animal welfare and sustainable fish

  • We've minimised foods of high energy and high carbon (e.g. meat, dairy products and eggs)
  • We're committed to promoting the consumption of more plant-based food by offering a variety of vegetarian and vegan menu items.
  • We ensure that all animal products meet high environmental and animal welfare standards, such as free-range and Red Tractor assurance.
  • We use fish from sustainable sources, avoiding those listed on the Marine Conservation Society’s "fish to avoid" list.

Sourcing and suppliers

  • We source food and products locally and seasonally to support the local economy and reduce environmental impact.
  • We have increased the use of organic products and Fairtrade-certified goods.
  • We engage with our external food trade organisations, suppliers and sector colleagues to identify and share best practice in food sustainability.
  • We support on-campus community food growing projects and promote the availability of these foods to all campus users.

Energy and water efficiency

  • We conduct energy and water efficiency audits in major catering outlets to identify reduction opportunities
  • We will implement separate metering for catering operations to establish a baseline and set reduction targets

Healthy eating

  • We educate staff and students on health and wellbeing, and promote active lifestyles and healthier food choices.
  • We review and improve the nutritional quality of food offerings, to reduce the presence of ultra-processed foods.
  • Our menus cater to a variety of dietary needs, including vegan, health-specific, and cultural requirements.

Cleaning products

  • We source and use sustainable cleaning products and technologies.
  • We adopt the most effective cleaning techniques to minimise our impact on the environment.
  • Our cleaning products contain environmentally friendly chemicals that meet the standards of either the EU Eco-Label (“Flower”) or the Nordic SWAN label.

Food standards and contracts

  • We aim to achieve sustainable food certifications such as the Soil Association’s ‘Food for Life Served Here’ award or the ‘Food Made Good Standard’ by the Sustainable Restaurant Association.
  • We include sustainability and ethical criteria in all tender specifications and contracts for food and catering services.

Communication and Engagement

  • We will raise awareness of our Sustainable Food Policy among staff and students through events and campaigns.
  • As previously mentioned, we'll engage with sector colleagues to identify best practices in food sustainability.