| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.28 |
| Liaison | Michelle Seppala Gibbs |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2023 |
Hope College
OP-8: Sustainable Dining
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Melissa
Smith Director of Dining Creative Dining |
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:
A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
Hope College is located in the center of the City of Holland, Michigan and there is very limited agricultural space within the city limits. Hope College's Garden Club has a raised bed garden area and also a few apple and pear trees that they manage. In 2022 a collaborative project between Creative Dining Services, the Office of Sustainability, the grounds team, and hand full of faculty and students helped bring three honey bee hives to campus. The honey yielded from the hives (while leaving enough for the bees to winter) was sold in the bookstore and funds were deposited into the new green revolving fund. Honey was also used and highlighted by the dining team in a number of recipes in the dining hall in the fall during a special event.
Hope College students also volunteer during the fall and spring to help out at Eighth Day Farms a local CSA.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a sustainability-themed food outlet on-site, either independently or in partnership with a contractor or retailer?:
A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor support disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through its food and beverage purchasing?:
A brief description of the support for disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
For the period of 2021-2022, 18% of all foods purchased were Local Spend, MBE+WBE, or B-Corp certified.
For the period of 2021-2022, 28.8% of all food purchases were plant-based (27.5%) or third party certified for sustainability (1.2%).
Hope Dining partners with minority-owned Anu Sushi https://www.anusushi.com/ for all fresh sushi
(seafood and plant-based) in the campus’ retail outlet, including vegan rolls and vegan goya dumplings.
Started in 2018 by Burmese refugees, Anu makes fresh sushi for restaurants and institutions in Chicago,
Detroit and Grand Rapids. For each box of sushi sold, Anu Sushi provides a meal to children in
orphanages in Myanmar.
Year-round, weekly purchasing/delivery with local vendor-partner Crisp County Acres
https://crispcountryacres.com/about-us/ a 130 acre, 2nd generation family-owned farm, located in Holland, MI, 8 miles from the Hope campus. Supplies fruit, vegetables, cider and honey. All products are delivered in zero-waste reusable totes. In addition to tillable acreage, Crisp utilizes passive solar greenhouses and cold-storage to allow for year-round supply. Irrigation of crops utilizes low-flow drip-irrigation and vegetable washers use a recycled water system. Crisp services direct-to-restaurant and institutions, as well as CSA memberships, farmers markets and farm stands to the West Michigan greater community. Crisp and Creative Dining are both members of the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum. Other local vendors include Simpatico Coffee, Good Earth Bakery, Saunder’s Family Bakery, Dawn Baking, Ferris Nut & Coffee, and Prairie Farms.
Estimated percentage of total food and beverage expenditures on products from disadvantaged businesses, social enterprises, and/or local SMEs:
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events or promote plant-forward options?:
A brief description of the low impact dining events and/or plant-forward options:
Plant Forward Options - Dining services offers a wide variety of meatless options for our vegetarian and vegan consumers. These options are available 7 days per week and we now offer meatless options at our main venue every Monday. Hope Dining Services also participates daily in the national Protein Flip/Menu's of Change initiative in our dining halls.
Low Impact Dining - Twice a year food waste audits are completed in the main dining hall to educate the campus community about food that is wasted and ends up in the landfill.
Additional Information:
A plant-based (vegan) entrée with complete protein served at every meal, every day, in Hope’s Phelps & Cook Dining Halls. Hope’s bakery uses beet sugar which is vegan versus cane sugar, since most commercial cane sugar is not considered vegan. In 2019, Creative Dining officially partnered with the Humane Society of the U.S. and their Forward Food initiative, and has committed to offering 50% plant-based entrées by 2025. Creative Dining’s menu library contains over 60 proprietary plant-based recipes created by H.S.U.S. These recipes are utilized in the menu cycle at Hope College Dining and utilize
complementary proteins (e.g. whole grains/legumes), as well as plant-based “meat” substitutes such as
soy products (tofu, seitan, etc.).
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a vegan dining program that makes diverse, complete-protein vegan options available to every member of the campus community at every meal?:
A brief description of the vegan dining program:
Hope College has a dedicated Chef who uses several recipe databases to create a daily vegan and vegetarian offering. In addition, a baked potato bar, rice / quinoa bar, fruit and vegetable bar, trademarked Dashi noodle bar, salad bar and vegan / vegetarian soup are offered.
In addition Dining Serves offers a "plant forward" option every day for all day dining options.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labelling and signage in dining halls?:
A brief description of the sustainability labelling and signage in dining halls:
Utilizes the FDA 9 major allergen descriptors plus dietary icons to distinguish between “vegan/plant-based” and vegetarian on all vegan offerings, at all campus dining locations.
Hope College Dining services has a distinct logo that is used to call attention to all of our vegan and vegetarian offerings. This is available on retail packaging as well as menu monitors in our residential dining program. Hope Dining specifically labels the Plant-Forward section in the dining halls. Social media posts are pushed throughout the year, especially during Earth Month and Sustainability Month.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor participate in a competition or commitment program and/or use a food waste prevention system to track and improve its food management practices?:
A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:
These are currently collected and composted but not tracked at this time.
Excess prepared food in good condition is donated to a local community kitchen on a daily basis. This organization opens their doors to anyone in the community in need of a meal and support.
As of January 2023, Hope College is an official Food Recovery Network chapter. Student volunteers help donate leftover meals to the Hope College Care Pantry which helps students with food insecurities.
Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented trayless dining (in which trays are removed from or not available in dining halls) and/or modified menus/portions to reduce post-consumer food waste?:
A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:
Hope College operates two dining halls, both of which are completely trayless as of 2010. 100% Trayless dining in the Phelps & Cook Dining Halls, saving 120,000 gallons of potable water annually.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor donate food that would otherwise go to waste to feed people?:
A brief description of the food donation program:
Hope College Dining Services donates all extra food to two local food missions - the Holland Community Action House and the Holland City Mission. These groups use this food for their daily meal programs in the Holland, MI community.
In 2022 Hope College donated 13,338 pounds of food to Community Action House.
As of January 2023, Hope College is an official Food Recovery Network chapter. Student volunteers help donate leftover meals to the Hope College Care Pantry which helps students with food insecurities.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses?:
A brief description of the food materials diversion program:
Dining Services also partners with Alternative Energy Solutions to recycle our waste vegetable oil. Rather than paying a company to pick up this product, AES picks it up at no charge to the college and converts it to bio-diesel. They then use it to produce electricity for local needs.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a pre-consumer composting program?:
A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:
Up until October 2022 Hope College Dining Services was composting 100% of their pre-consumer food waste. All food waste wass collected during preparation, combined with other campus composting.
We are in the process of evaluating other contactors because our community was no longer being serviced by this provider.
Hope Dining minimizes food and dining waste by following Creative Dining’s Impact Zero best practices.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a post-consumer composting program?:
A brief description of the post-consumer composting program:
Up until October 2022 Hope College Dining Services composted all post-consumer food waste. All food waste filters through the dish rooms in the dining halls, where it is mulched to reduce volume by 50% and then placed in composting bins and later removed along with other composting on campus.
We are in the process of evaluating other contactors because our community was no longer being serviced by this provider.
Hope College's Grounds Department is still operating a composting program for all students living in cottages/apartments. We have also added in composting at two residential halls starting in the spring 2023 semester.
In retail locations, Dining Services uses environmentally friendly disposable products made of PLA (corn-based), potato, and pre- and post-consumer waste items.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor utilize reusable service ware for “dine in” meals?:
A brief description of the reusable service ware program:
The two main dining halls offer reusable service ware on a daily basis. All single use food and beverage containers used on campus are certified compostable products. As of 2017, dining services began offering re-usable to-go containers to all staff, faculty, and qualifying students.
Utilizes unbleached napkins made from 100% recycled and 20% post-consumer fiber to conserve natural resources. EcoLogo certified for reduced environmental impact and verified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute.
Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor provide reusable and/or third party certified compostable containers and service ware for “to-go” meals (in conjunction with an on-site composting program)?:
A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:
The Kletz Snack Bar - an on-campus grab-and-go outlet and both dining halls offer reusable to-go containers on request. Students can use these containers for their meal and return them to the Kletz, where they are washed and reused. These containers are also available for purchase. As of 2017, dining services began offering re-usable to-go containers to all staff, faculty, and qualifying students.
Utilizes unbleached napkins made from 100% recycled and 20% post-consumer fiber to conserve natural resources. EcoLogo certified for reduced environmental impact and verified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute.
Offers BPA-free/PFAS-free reusable to-go container program in Phelps & Cook Dining Halls.
Since 2020 Hope Dining participates in the campus-wide Companion Cup program which offers a personal reusable beverage cup for use in all dining locations.
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?:
A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:
Hope College offers students, staff, and faculty the option of purchasing reusable containers for both food and beverages. Beverage refills using these containers are offered at a discount.
A brief description of other sustainability-related initiatives not covered above:
The dishmachine at Phelps Dining Hall is Energy Star and EPA WaterSense certified, uses phosphorus-free dish detergent and reclaims heat from the exhaust system and returns that energy into the hot water reservoir.
In a joint project between Hope Dining, the Campus Office of Sustainability, Department of Environmental Science and Hope Physical Plant & Grounds crew, a new 3-hive honeybee apiary was installed on campus. The apiary is an outdoor pollinator learning lab, with tours, demonstrations and research. While beekeepers learn, the bees pollinate the campus landscape and make honey.
"A Honey of a Project" - https://magazine.hope.edu/winter-2022/a-honey-of-a-project/
Recycling of all cardboard, cans, and glass throughout the Dining operation.
Website URL where information about the sustainable dining programs is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Other information about our programs can be found at:
https://creativedining.com/sustainability/
Knowing that everyone grows differently, Grow™ is designed to be a flexible menu of sustainability initiatives from which our clients can select those that are the right fit for their dining operation.
Creative Dining Services’ initiatives in this category include:
Responsible food sourcing
Purchasing items grown, manufactured or produced within 150 miles of our clients’ locations.
Participation in Community Sustained Agriculture (CSA) shares for procurement of farm-direct produce.
Purchasing seafood with a Seafood Watch Good or Best choice designation.
Purchasing only cage-free shell eggs.
Offering Small producer, non-CAFO* animal proteins.
Offering USDA Organic foodstuffs.
Delivering comprehensive waste management: food pulping, recycling, commercial composting, food waste tracking and food rescue.
Providing alternative disposable serviceware: full lines of take-out utensils and containers constructed from renewable sources such as corn, potatoes and natural fibers, intended for commercial composting.
Providing greener paper products: non-bleached, high post-consumer recycled content products for tabletop, rest rooms and housekeeping.
Offering a portfolio of USDA Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade and direct trade coffees and teas, from nationally recognized brands and local roasters.
Utilizing Green Seal™ and Design for the Environment approved chemicals.
Planting organic herb and vegetable chef gardens.
Setting up and managing honey bee apiaries and pollinator gardens.
Performing a comprehensive hospitality equipment audit, maintenance schedule and capital equipment planning.
Sourcing of Energy Star® kitchen equipment and sustainable materials, aiding in LEED® qualifying points.
Providing LEED® Hospitality Design
Providing LEED® Accredited Professional Kitchen and Servery Design
farmSTEAD™ is prescribed path programming, engaging Creative Dining Services’ accounts with local and regional growers, producers and foodhubs that do not have distributorship through our primary and secondary-vendor partnerships. This includes family-owned and small co-operative growers operating as CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and direct farm-to-institution sales, delivering directly to our account locations.
farmSTEAD™ programming outlines our company’s intentions, purchasing policy and regulatory documentation required to achieve an approved vendor status with Creative Dining Services.
Most importantly, food safety is critical to our organization. A secure supply chain will not be compromised. It is imperative that any potential vendor, regardless of size, can demonstrate the ability to deliver safe product to Creative Dining Services.
At Creative Dining Services we have developed our Trashed™ program to reduce food waste at all our locations.
The highest priority in this program is source reduction. Several best practices are employed to achieve this goal, including inventory accuracy, organized storerooms and walk-ins, a consistent labeling and dating system, and practicing FIFO: First-In-First-Out with food goods.
Other information about our programs can be found at:
https://creativedining.com/sustainability/
Knowing that everyone grows differently, Grow™ is designed to be a flexible menu of sustainability initiatives from which our clients can select those that are the right fit for their dining operation.
Creative Dining Services’ initiatives in this category include:
Responsible food sourcing
Purchasing items grown, manufactured or produced within 150 miles of our clients’ locations.
Participation in Community Sustained Agriculture (CSA) shares for procurement of farm-direct produce.
Purchasing seafood with a Seafood Watch Good or Best choice designation.
Purchasing only cage-free shell eggs.
Offering Small producer, non-CAFO* animal proteins.
Offering USDA Organic foodstuffs.
Delivering comprehensive waste management: food pulping, recycling, commercial composting, food waste tracking and food rescue.
Providing alternative disposable serviceware: full lines of take-out utensils and containers constructed from renewable sources such as corn, potatoes and natural fibers, intended for commercial composting.
Providing greener paper products: non-bleached, high post-consumer recycled content products for tabletop, rest rooms and housekeeping.
Offering a portfolio of USDA Organic, Rainforest Alliance, Fair Trade and direct trade coffees and teas, from nationally recognized brands and local roasters.
Utilizing Green Seal™ and Design for the Environment approved chemicals.
Planting organic herb and vegetable chef gardens.
Setting up and managing honey bee apiaries and pollinator gardens.
Performing a comprehensive hospitality equipment audit, maintenance schedule and capital equipment planning.
Sourcing of Energy Star® kitchen equipment and sustainable materials, aiding in LEED® qualifying points.
Providing LEED® Hospitality Design
Providing LEED® Accredited Professional Kitchen and Servery Design
farmSTEAD™ is prescribed path programming, engaging Creative Dining Services’ accounts with local and regional growers, producers and foodhubs that do not have distributorship through our primary and secondary-vendor partnerships. This includes family-owned and small co-operative growers operating as CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and direct farm-to-institution sales, delivering directly to our account locations.
farmSTEAD™ programming outlines our company’s intentions, purchasing policy and regulatory documentation required to achieve an approved vendor status with Creative Dining Services.
Most importantly, food safety is critical to our organization. A secure supply chain will not be compromised. It is imperative that any potential vendor, regardless of size, can demonstrate the ability to deliver safe product to Creative Dining Services.
At Creative Dining Services we have developed our Trashed™ program to reduce food waste at all our locations.
The highest priority in this program is source reduction. Several best practices are employed to achieve this goal, including inventory accuracy, organized storerooms and walk-ins, a consistent labeling and dating system, and practicing FIFO: First-In-First-Out with food goods.
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.