Concordia University
OP-8: Sustainable Dining
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Claudette
Torbey Administrator Food Services Sustainability and Quality Hospitality |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1. Sustainable dining initiatives
Local community engagement
Yes
A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
Concordia hosts two farmers' markets, one on each campus. At the downtown campus, a monthly market, organized by students, provides the community with year-round access to local, organic produce, plants, prepared foods and artisanal crafts. The farmer's market on our Loyola campus is organized by the Concordia Greenhouse City Farm School and runs from June to the end of October. Produce that is grown on campus by the City Farm School's apprentices is sold at the market.
The Concordia Greenhouse Project is a campus rooftop greenhouse that aims to strengthen the urban agriculture movement at Concordia University and throughout Montreal by growing local produce using ecological practices, providing experiential learning opportunities and connecting with other individuals and organizations. Among its activities, the Greenhouse sells its microgreens through CSA membership and at the downtown farmers' market.
The Concordia Greenhouse Project is a campus rooftop greenhouse that aims to strengthen the urban agriculture movement at Concordia University and throughout Montreal by growing local produce using ecological practices, providing experiential learning opportunities and connecting with other individuals and organizations. Among its activities, the Greenhouse sells its microgreens through CSA membership and at the downtown farmers' market.
Sustainability-themed outlet
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
Aramark, the university's primary food service provider, focuses on local and sustainable foods, including a large selection of vegan and vegetarian options, at its Green Beet location. Plant-based menu items and those made with local ingredients or by local producers are identified as such. The location exclusively offers Fairtrade coffee, tea, sugar and bananas and provides Fairtrade chocolate options. All carry-out packaging, including containers, cups and utensils are compostable.
Additionally, The Hive, a student-managed cafe located on the downtown and Loyola campus, exclusively serves vegetarian food and to-go containers, cups and utensils are also compostable.
Additionally, The Hive, a student-managed cafe located on the downtown and Loyola campus, exclusively serves vegetarian food and to-go containers, cups and utensils are also compostable.
Inclusive and local sourcing
Yes
A brief description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
Concordia Food Services works closely with Aramark to continually shift food purchasing toward local SMEs. Purchasing reports are compiled three times a year to track conformity with contractual requirements concerning local, sustainable food purchasing. These reports are also reviewed by the Food Services and Aramark team to identify non-local items that could be sourced from local SMEs. As a result of these efforts, Aramark has shifted its purchasing to nearly twenty new local SME producers since 2017, which provide products such as frozen strawberries, baked goods and beef.
Estimated percentage of total food and beverage expenditures on products from disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
5
Low-impact dining
Yes
A brief description of the low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options:
Local Food Days are organized once a month in Concordia’s residential dining halls where a menu is developed around a theme, showcasing local products.
For Veggie Mondays, celebrated twice a month in the dining halls, a special vegan and vegetarian menu is designed to encourage diners to chose plant-based options. Once a semester, a dietician also tables in the dining halls to explain the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet.
For Veggie Mondays, celebrated twice a month in the dining halls, a special vegan and vegetarian menu is designed to encourage diners to chose plant-based options. Once a semester, a dietician also tables in the dining halls to explain the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet.
Vegan dining program
Yes
A brief description of the vegan dining program:
Concordia’s two residential dining halls offer vegan options for each meal of the day. Breakfast includes smoothies, beans, tofu scrambles and vegan sausages. The pasta, deli and salad bar all include vegan options and hot vegan meals served for lunch and dinner at the Home Zone station. Vegan ingredients offered at the self-cook station include tofu, tempeh and vegan cheese. A variety of vegan desserts are also served on a regular basis.
In addition to the dining halls, the Concordia community has access to multiple other vegan options on campus. The Green Beet, a café managed by Concordia Food Services, focuses on vegan and vegetarian menu items. Many student-run cafés and soup kitchens also offer complete-protein vegan dining.
In addition to the dining halls, the Concordia community has access to multiple other vegan options on campus. The Green Beet, a café managed by Concordia Food Services, focuses on vegan and vegetarian menu items. Many student-run cafés and soup kitchens also offer complete-protein vegan dining.
Labelling and signage
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls:
Our food service contractor developed a labelling system in collaboration with Concordia Food Services that indicates whether a menu item in the dining hall is vegan, vegetarian, halal and/or gluten-free. Since Concordia Food Services participates in the Aliments du Quebec program and Aramark achieved MSC Chain of Custody certification for its operations at Concordia, the labelling system also includes logos for locally-sourced and MSC-certified items. Additionally, Fairtrade coffee, tea, sugar and bananas are all identified as such with cards that also highlight the impact of choosing Fairtrade-certified products. Signage is posted in different areas of the dining hall explaining the meaning of each of the labels.
Part 2. Food waste minimization and recovery
Food recovery program
Yes
A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:
Our food service provider Aramark works to reduce its pre and post-production waste through the food waste prevention program, Leanpath. This program focuses on preventing food waste by closely tracking waste wherever it occurs (from past-date leftovers, trimmings, inventory spoilage, etc) and adjusting production volumes when appropriate. Additionally, in non-franchise locations, Aramark serves food until it is no longer considered food safe.
Trayless dining and portion modifications
Yes
A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:
Our all-you-care-to-eat dining halls are trayless and use smaller sized plates at stations where students can serve themselves in order to discourage diners from taking more than they need. Frontline staff are also trained to serve smaller-sized portions, unless otherwise requested by the diners.
Food donation
Yes
A brief description of the food donation program:
Concordia University partnered with La Tablees des Chefs, an organization that collects leftovers for local charities. During the first six months of 2019, 1,349 kg of food was donated from events organized by Hospitality Concordia.
Food materials diversion
Yes
A brief description of the food materials diversion program:
Cooking oil is sold or donated for biofuel use.
Composting
Yes
A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:
All food service kitchens compost organics.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
Yes
A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:
Compost bins are available at most areas where food is consumed on campus, including dining halls and retail locations.
Dine-in service ware
Yes
A brief description of the reusable service ware program:
All service ware in residential dining halls are reusable.
Take-away materials
Yes
A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:
Retail locations offer compostable bowls, plates and take out containers. Cutlery at non-franchise locations is also compostable. Composting is available in most areas on campus where food is purchased and consumed.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor offer discounts or other incentives to customers who use reusable containers instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:
Yes
A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:
Our "Love your mug" program gives discount prices for hot drinks for customers who bring their own mug. The discount ranges from 10 cents at franchises to 25 cents at non-franchise locations managed by Concordia Food Services. Additionally, student-managed cafes charge clients 25 cents for single-use cups.
Optional Fields
Concordia's food service provider contract includes purchasing targets for local and sustainable sourcing. The requirements are as follows:
- 75% of local fruits and vegetables in the summer months, 50% in the fall and 25% in the winter/spring seasons (with exception to citrus)
- Reasonable efforts to purchase local frozen fruits and vegetables
- Reasonable efforts to purchase soy-based products produced or processed locally
- Free-run eggs only
- Canadian dairy products only
- Meat and poultry raised without cruelty
- Poultry: 19% raised in Quebec and 6% organic
- Pork: 74% grown in Quebec (with exception of processed pork products)
- Beef: Canadian beef only and 19% grown in Quebec
- Seafood: 94% certified sustainable seafood and No seafood that is on the red list of the Union for Conservation of Nature (UFCN) or any similar organization
- 90% of coffee and tea has to be Fairtrade certified. Generic coffee will not be accepted in non-franchise outlets
- Reasonable efforts to purchase organic products
The food service provider is mandated to provide purchasing reports three times a year that assess progress against these targets and justifies any failure to meet the requirements.
- 75% of local fruits and vegetables in the summer months, 50% in the fall and 25% in the winter/spring seasons (with exception to citrus)
- Reasonable efforts to purchase local frozen fruits and vegetables
- Reasonable efforts to purchase soy-based products produced or processed locally
- Free-run eggs only
- Canadian dairy products only
- Meat and poultry raised without cruelty
- Poultry: 19% raised in Quebec and 6% organic
- Pork: 74% grown in Quebec (with exception of processed pork products)
- Beef: Canadian beef only and 19% grown in Quebec
- Seafood: 94% certified sustainable seafood and No seafood that is on the red list of the Union for Conservation of Nature (UFCN) or any similar organization
- 90% of coffee and tea has to be Fairtrade certified. Generic coffee will not be accepted in non-franchise outlets
- Reasonable efforts to purchase organic products
The food service provider is mandated to provide purchasing reports three times a year that assess progress against these targets and justifies any failure to meet the requirements.
Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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