Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 58.86
Liaison Joseph Wasylycia-Leis
Submission Date March 3, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Winnipeg
OP-6: Food and Beverage Purchasing

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.60 / 4.00 Ian Vickers
Chief Operating Officer
Diversity Food Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Percentage of dining services food and beverage expenditures that are local and community-based and/or third party verified:
65

A copy of an inventory, list or sample of sustainable food and beverage purchases:
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An inventory, list or sample of sustainable food and beverage purchases:

Some of our local suppliers: Bearcat Fisheries; Bothwell Cheese; Braman's Greens; Common Sense Natural Products; DeRuyck's Top of the Hill; Greenland Gardens; Harvest Moon Local Food Initiative; Heritage Lanes Natures Farm; Neva Hydroponics; Oak Island; Six Sprouts Farm; Stonewood Elk Farm; Tall Grass;


Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (food and beverage expenditures for on-site franchises, convenience stores, vending services, or concessions)?:
No

Percentage of on-site franchise, convenience store, vending services, and concessions food and beverage purchases that are local and community-based and/or third party verified:
---

A copy of an inventory, list or sample of on-site franchise, convenience store, vending machine, and/or concessions food and beverage purchases that are sustainably produced:
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An inventory, list or sample of on-site franchise, convenience store, vending machine, and/or concessions food and beverage purchases that are sustainably produced:
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A brief description of the sustainable food and beverage purchasing program:

The University of Winnipeg is recognized as a pioneer in sustainable food because of Diversity Foods, the campus food service that was established in 2009.

Diversity is a joint venture of the University of Winnipeg's Community Renewal Corporation's (UWCRC) & SEED Winnipeg to deliver excellent food services to the University of Winnipeg while providing meaningful employment and ownership opportunities for the community. Their specific community objectives include job opportunities in the food industry for new Canadians, Aboriginal people, community residents and University students. Diversity's mission is to provide food services that demonstrate the desire to meet the goals of sustainability at the University within a work environment that reflects a high level of training for the diverse group of employees.
This year, Diversity undertook a voluntary audit through Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Food Service (LEAF). LEAF offers accreditation to restaurants demonstrating environmentally sustainable foodservice practices, and provides a benchmark for foodservice establishments across Canada. Three levels of certification are available.
Diversity earned a total of 449 points through the audit, well above the minimum of 300 points required to earn the third and highest level of LEAF certification. Particularly noteworthy achievements include:

- 65% of food purchased comes from local family farms within 100 km of the University, 100% of seafood purchases are OceanWise certified, 100% of coffee, tea, rice, sugar, and retail chocolate is either fair trade or direct trade;

- The use of only compostable packaging and 100% recycled paper products;

- A robust waste diversion and reduction program that includes pre-and post- consumer composting, bi-weekly food donations, bulk condiment purchasing, strict inventory controls, and recycling of used grease.

Unfortunately, Diversity did not meet one of the prerequisites for level 3 certification – that 60% of equipment in use be Energy STAR certified. As such, Diversity is currently certified at a level 2. In the coming year, the University and Diversity are working together to address the one gap in achieving level 3 certification.

+ Date Revised: April 7, 2015

A brief description of the methodology used to track/inventory sustainable food and beverage purchases:

There is not methodology in place to track sustainable food purchases at Diversity. However, an in house audit of sustainability purchases was conducted by third-party organization LEAF (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Food Services) in 2014 using invoices from the previous year.


Total annual food and beverage expenditures:
780,481.30 US/Canadian $

Which of the following food service providers are present on campus and included in the total food and beverage expenditure figures?:
Present? Included?
Dining operations and catering services operated by the institution Yes Yes
Dining operations and catering services operated by a contractor No No
Franchises Yes No
Convenience stores Yes No
Vending services Yes No
Concessions Yes No

Has the institution achieved the following?:
Yes or No
Fair Trade Campus, College or University status No
Certification under the Green Seal Standard for Restaurants and Food Services (GS-46) Yes
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification Yes
Signatory of the Real Food Campus Commitment (U.S.) No

A brief description of other sustainable restaurant and food service standards that the institution’s dining services operations are certified under:

Diversity Food Services is certified under LEAF (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Food Services). Diversity exceeds Fair Trade Campus requirements; however Diversity has concerns with the Fair Trade Campus program's impact on smaller direct-trade roasters and has chosen not to support the FTC program.


The website URL where information about the institution's sustainable food and beverage purchasing efforts is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

UWinnipeg has claimed credit for Green Seal and Marine Stewardship Council Certification. We are in fact certified Silver by LEAF and certified sustainable through the Vancouver aquarium's Ocean Wise program.

Weblink to LEAF: http://leafme.ca/green-restaurants/
Weblink to Oceanwise: http://www.oceanwise.ca/content/ocean-wise-universities-and-colleges

Diversity Food Services is a joint venture of the University of Winnipeg's Community Renewal Corporation's (UWCRC) & SEED Winnipeg. Diversity's mission is to provide excellent food services that demonstrate desire to meet the goals of sustainability at the University, within a work environment which provides meaningful employment for new Canadians, Aboriginal people, community residents and University students. Diversity's mandate is to develop nutritious, fairly-priced and ethnically diverse food options with focus on locally sourced foods, organic ingredients, and a commitment to fair-trade and environmentally sustainable practices.


UWinnipeg has claimed credit for Green Seal and Marine Stewardship Council Certification. We are in fact certified Silver by LEAF and certified sustainable through the Vancouver aquarium's Ocean Wise program.

Weblink to LEAF: http://leafme.ca/green-restaurants/
Weblink to Oceanwise: http://www.oceanwise.ca/content/ocean-wise-universities-and-colleges

Diversity Food Services is a joint venture of the University of Winnipeg's Community Renewal Corporation's (UWCRC) & SEED Winnipeg. Diversity's mission is to provide excellent food services that demonstrate desire to meet the goals of sustainability at the University, within a work environment which provides meaningful employment for new Canadians, Aboriginal people, community residents and University students. Diversity's mandate is to develop nutritious, fairly-priced and ethnically diverse food options with focus on locally sourced foods, organic ingredients, and a commitment to fair-trade and environmentally sustainable practices.

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.