Vassar College
OP-6: Food Purchasing

Institution purchases food that meets one or more of the following criteria:

• Grown and processed within 250 miles of the institution
• Third-party certified (USDA Certified Organic, Marine Stewardship Council Blue Ecolabel, Food Alliance, Fair Trade)
• Grown on a farm that operates as a cooperative, has a profit sharing policy for all employees, or has a social responsibility policy covering the following for all workers: union or prevailing wages, transportation and/or housing support, and/or health care benefits.
  

Food purchases that meet multiple criteria listed above should not be double-counted. 

This credit includes food purchases for dining halls and catering services operated by the institution or the institution’s primary dining services contractor (e.g. Aramark, Bon Appétit Management Company, Chartwells, Sodexo).  On-site franchises, convenience stores, vending machines, or concessions are excluded from this credit.  

This credit applies to all institutions that have residential dining halls.  Institutions that do not have residential dining halls may choose to pursue or omit this credit. 

Institutions earn the maximum of 6 points when food that meets the criteria outlined above comprises 50 percent or more of food purchases.  Incremental points are available based on the percentage of food expenditures devoted to sustainable food.  For example, an institution that spent 25 percent of its food budget on sustainable food would earn 3 points (half of the points available for this credit).

Timeframe

Report the most recent data available.   

Sampling and Data Standards

Institutions may choose to track food purchases for a 12-month consecutive period or use representative samples.  When using samples, institutions should accommodate seasonal and other variations in sustainable food availability and purchasing. 

Include food purchases for dining halls and catering services operated by the institution or the institution’s primary dining services contractor.  On-site franchises, convenience stores, vending machines, or concessions are excluded from this credit.