Skidmore College
OP-7: Food and Beverage Purchasing
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.20 / 6.00 |
Jen
Natyzak Sustainability Coordinator for Student Programming Sustainability |
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on products that are sustainably or ethically produced:
Percentage of total annual food and beverage expenditures on plant-based foods:
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):
We inventory all dining hall food purchases made in April, July, September, and October of each year to calculate Skidmore's annual Sustainable Food percentage. Selecting these months ensures that we have each season represented. Dining Services provides student interns with Dining Hall invoices, and then students enter each purchase into our Sustainable Food spreadsheet. This spreadsheet allows our team to calculate our sustainable food percentage. Each intern completes an internship training to familiarize themselves with Skidmore's Sustainable Food metrics and learn how to accurately analyze our food purchases.
It should be noted that our sustainable food criteria as reported on our website are distinctively different from the sustainable food criteria for STARS 2.2.
The Skidmore sustainable food percentage defines sustainable foods with the following criteria (adopted from the Real Food Calculator, 2014):
- Local and Community-Based: These foods can be traced to farms and businesses that are locally owned and operated (within 250 miles). Sourcing local and community-based foods supports the local economy and builds community relations. Foods travel fewer miles to reach consumers. Seasonal foods, when fresh, often have a higher nutrient content.
- Fair: Individuals involved in food production, distribution, preparation--and other parts of the food system—work in safe and fair conditions; receive a living wage; are ensured the right to organize and the right to a grievance process; and have equal opportunity for employment. Fair food builds community capacity and ensures and promotes socially just practices in the food system.
- Ecologically Sound: Farms, businesses, and other operations involved with food production practice environmental stewardship that conserves biodiversity and preserves natural resources, including energy, wildlife, water, air, and soil. Production practices should minimize toxic substances as well as direct and indirect petroleum inputs.
- Humane: Animals can express natural behavior in a low-stress environment and are raised with no hormones or unnecessary medication.
- Conscientious: Business operations are guided by the principles of sustainability. The Food Working Group will consider Certified Benefit Corporations and organizations that routinely publish Social Responsibility Reports proving consistent ethical and transparent business practices.
Website URL where the institution’s validated Real/Good Food Calculator results are publicly posted:
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 | No | No |
| Student-run food/catering services | No | No |
| Franchises (e.g., regional or global brands) | No | No |
| Convenience stores | Yes | No |
| Vending services | Yes | No |
| Concessions | No | No |
Total annual dining services budget for food and beverage products:
A brief description of the institution’s sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:
Skidmore College Dining Services, the Skidmore Sustainability Office, and the Environmental Studies and Sciences Program created the Sustainable Food internship program in 2015. As many as three students complete the internship each semester. Interns are responsible for reviewing and coding each dining hall food purchase to calculate Skidmore's sustainable food percentage. Interns also research best practices at other colleges and universities, visit current vendors and farms to learn more about our food supply chain, and assist the College in identifying new purchasing opportunities to help us achieve our goal of 25% sustainable food by 2025.
Website URL where information about the food and beverage purchasing program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.