Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 29.52
Liaison Logan Plaisted
Submission Date Sept. 25, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Illinois Institute of Technology
OP-8: Sustainable Dining

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.25 / 2.00 Stephen Pepper
Assistant Director of Sustainability
Office of Campus Energy & Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a published sustainable dining policy?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainable dining policy:

The dining vendor on the Mies Campus is Sodexo. Their sustainability policies are called their "Better Tomorrow Commitments" and can be found at http://viewer.zmags.com/publication/77768968#/77768968/1

This policy reflects both social and environmental sustainability through commitments to their nine specific commitments. These apply to all of their locations including IIT.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor source food from a campus garden or farm?:
No

A brief description of the program to source food from a campus garden or farm:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host a farmers market, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, and/or urban agriculture project, or support such a program in the local community?:
No

A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
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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?:
No

A brief description of the vegan dining program:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host low impact dining events (e.g. Meatless Mondays)?:
No

A brief description of the low impact dining events:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor host sustainability-themed meals (e.g. local harvest dinners)?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-themed meals:
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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?:
No

A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor inform customers about low impact food choices and sustainability practices through labeling and signage in dining halls?:
Yes

A brief description of the sustainability labeling and signage in dining halls:

Sustainability related signage changes over time, highlighting various dining programs and sustainable food choices. One recent signage campaign promoted the reusable food container program in The Commons dining hall, which allows diners to get take-out meals in returnable containers instead of disposable ones.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor engage in outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems?:
No

A brief description of the outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have other sustainability-related initiatives (e.g. health and wellness initiatives, making culturally diverse options available)?:
Yes

A brief description of the other sustainability-related dining initiatives:

Sodexo, our primary dining services contractor, has several other sustainability initiatives, such as their Suppliers Code of Conduct, which aims to ensure that all the goods they sell are produced according to widely accepted social, environmental and ethical standards.

They also have a strong commitment to diversity within their workforce, and show commitment to diversity and inclusion through executive and leadership involvement in formal mentoring partnerships, employee business resource groups (with membership totaling close to 4,000 members) and the cross market diversity council. In addition, managers participate in diversity and inclusion activities that are directly tied to Sodexo's diversity scorecard.


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?:
No

A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:
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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?:
Yes

A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:

Trayless dining is implemented in all dining locations.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor donate food that would otherwise go to waste to feed people?:
No

A brief description of the food donation program:
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Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor divert food materials from the landfill, incinerator or sewer for animal feed or industrial uses (e.g. converting cooking oil to fuel, on-site anaerobic digestion)?:
Yes

A brief description of the food materials diversion program:

Our cooking oil is recycled to biodiesel through a company called GreenGrease. In the last quarter of 2017 and the first quarter of 2018 994 gallons of used cooking oil was recycled for biodiesel.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor have a pre-consumer composting program?:
Yes

A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:

Food waste from the kitchen are put into composting dumpsters and included in the IIT composting program.


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:

Food waste from the dining hall is scraped into composting containers and included in the IIT composting program.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor utilize reusable service ware for “dine in” meals?:
Yes

A brief description of the reusable service ware program:

Reusable china is used for most catering events and in dining halls.


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)?:
Yes

A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:

Reusable containers are available in the main dining hall.


Does the institution or its primary dining services contractor offer discounts or other incentives to customers who use reusable containers (e.g. mugs) instead of disposable or compostable containers in “to-go” food service operations?:
Yes

A brief description of the reusable container discount or incentives program:

A discount is offered to those who use a reusable cup for coffee and fountain soda and there is a reusable container program for take out meals in The Commons.


Has the institution or its primary dining services contractor implemented other materials management initiatives to minimize waste not covered above (e.g. working with vendors and other entities to reduce waste from food packaging)?:
No

A brief description of other dining services materials management initiatives:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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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.