Overall Rating Gold
Overall Score 75.14
Liaison Kylee Singh
Submission Date July 10, 2023

STARS v2.2

California Polytechnic State University
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.65 / 6.00 Kaitlin Gibbons
Sustainability Coordinator
Campus Dining
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced:
5

Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on plant-based foods:
45

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):
Purchasing data was collected from all major dining vendors and then that data was coded according to plant based and/or 3rd party certified.

If reporting Real/Good Food Calculator results, provide:

Website URL where the institution’s validated Real/Good Food Calculator results are publicly posted:
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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 Yes Yes
Student-run food/catering services No No
Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) Yes Yes
Convenience stores Yes Yes
Vending services Yes No
Concessions Yes Yes

Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
$1 million - $4.9 million

Optional Fields

A brief description of the institution’s sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:
As one of the largest commercial services at Cal Poly, Campus Dining strives to lessen the university's environmental impact with programs, products and services that reduce the campus's overall ecological "foodprint". Our sustainability efforts are focused around four key areas: food sustainability, waste stream management, water and energy conservation, and green buildings and transportation.
A key strategy in providing sustainable food is buying local. It keeps money in the local economy, preserves family farms, reduces oil-dependent transportation costs, protects our local landscapes, and ensures fresh and healthy food stays available and affordable for all. Campus Dining is proud to support numerous local farms and artisans, including more than 100 local, organic and sustainable products throughout campus, including Cal Poly produced products. We also offer numerous USDA Certified Organic products in our campus markets.
Campus Dining works with suppliers of cage-free eggs. This practice allows hens to walk, spread their wings and lay their eggs in nests, improving the animal’s welfare, food safety and long-term sustainability.
In alignment with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program, Campus Dining strives to follow the standards for purchasing sustainably sourced seafood. That is, choosing seafood that's fished or farmed in ways that support a healthy ocean, now and for future generations.
Campus Dining partners with suppliers who provide certified sustainable coffees. This practice ensures that fair trade and other eco-certified coffee is readily available on campus.

Website URL where information about the food and beverage purchasing program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.