Northern Arizona University
OP-6: Food and Beverage Purchasing

Arizona grown produce includes, salad greens, peppers, bok choy, root vegetables like potatoes, onions, and carrots, fruits, and herbs. Our RBST -free milk comes from Stanfield, Arizona. Our pasta, tortillas and majority of our breads are produced in Arizona in the Phoenix area. Seafood purchases are limited to those listed in the “best choice” and “good alternative” categories by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch. Coffees and teas served in resident dining are all ethically sourced Fair-Trade; teas are also all organic and Fair-Trade. We procure specialty breads from a local (Flagstaff) bakery, as well as an assortment of other foods from local businesses, including oil and vinegars from Verde Valley Olive Oil Company, and Rising Hy Hot Sauce from an NAU alumni whose business is located in Flagstaff as well.

NAU Campus Dining focuses on sourcing local, seasonal and sustainably grown products when available. NAU Campus Dining defines local as farmers within the same state or geographic region. In contracts with local produce distributors, we require that they source from local farms whenever possible for the quantities and seasonal freshness needed. November to March is the time frame in which Arizona grown produce is in season and we use the highest percentage of locally grown products. We work to incorporate seasonally available produce into menus our events in resident dining as well as those for special events, and highlight a few herbs and heirloom tomatoes grown on campus primarily at our retail locations.

We purchase most of our bread products and dairy products from local vendors (i.e. Holsum bread, Mission Tortillas, Shamrock Farms milk). Other purchases that are sustainable are our beverage purchases of Aspretto fair-trade coffee and teas which include organic and fair trade Numi tea. We provide a variety of organic, fair-trade certified and/or sustainably raised/produced food items in two convenience stores on campus. Campus Dining also serves organic and fair-trade coffees from Green Mountain Coffee, Jazzman’s and Starbucks. We have introduced “fruit-infused” water stations in both resident dining halls to encourage consumption of water as opposed to sugary and processed beverages.

We follow guidelines in place based on Sodexo’s commitment to sustainably sourced fish and seafood through the Marine Stewardship Council or the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices Program and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch “Best Choice”. Organic and local foods are procured when economically and seasonally feasible and highlighted within resident dining and retail locations as well.

Campus Dining has no formal methodology in place to track the sustainable food and beverage purchases, but have begun to develop baseline measurements of through analysis of invoices and relying in part on vendor third-party certifications.

Sodexo and NAU Campus Dining take both social responsibility and food sustainability very seriously, as demonstrated by our Better Tomorrow Commitments and our partnerships on campus. Nationally Sodexo requires all vendors to adhere to our Supply Chain Code of Conduct which addresses fair treatment of employees, as well as environmentally sustainable practices.

This Supplier Code of Conduct (“Code”) sets forth Sodexo's expectation of suppliers, vendors, contractors and others with whom Sodexo conducts business (collectively referred to as “Suppliers”) with respect to sound and responsible ethical, social and environmental practices. Sodexo recognizes that there are different legal and cultural environments in which Suppliers operate throughout the world. Regardless, this Code sets forth the minimum requirements that Suppliers must meet to do business with Sodexo. In order to comply with these requirements, Suppliers should communicate the principles of this Code throughout their supply chain.
Sodexo encourages its Suppliers to support it in achieving The Better Tomorrow Plan to protect the environment, support the development of local communities, and actively promote nutrition, health and wellness.
Covered in this Code of Conduct:
• Global Workplace Rights
• Child labor
• Forced labor
• Freedom of association
• Non-discrimination
• Wages and benefits
• Working hours
• Health and safety
• Disciplinary practices/coercion
Additional Commitments
• Business integrity and ethical standards
• Environment
• Animal welfare
• Community involvement
• Conflicts of interest
• Unfair competition and anti-corruption
• Communications