Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
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Overall Score | 72.46 |
Liaison | Paul Mathisen |
Submission Date | May 22, 2020 |
Executive Letter | Download |
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
OP-8: Sustainable Dining
Status | Score | Responsible Party |
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2.00 / 2.00 |
Paul
Mathisen Dir. of Sustainability & Assoc. Prof Civil & Environmental Engineering |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Part 1: Sustainable Dining Initiatives
Sustainable Dining Policy
Yes
A brief description of the sustainable dining policy:
*With education as the primary focus of our business, Chartwells is committed to fostering and promoting sustainable business principles to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute community. *Our associates will lead by example through activities that minimize our impact on the environment by practicing the 3Rs with a primary focus on reduction. * Our programs include the necessary information to encourage informed choices on both the foods we consume and the ways we interact with the natural environment. *Chartwells donations and active volunteerism by our associates are just some of the ways that Chartwells re-invests in our communities.
On-Campus Sourcing
No
A brief description of the program to source food from a campus garden or farm:
in WPI's urban setting, there is no space on campus or nearby for a campus garden
Local Community Engagement
Yes
A brief description of the farmers market, CSA or urban agriculture project:
*Dick's Market Garden and Greenhouse, Lunenburg, MA, attends campus every fall semester for Farmers Markets. *Chartwells Dining and the Office of Sustainability inititated a CSA program (Stillman's Farms) open to all WPI community members that ran from June through October.
Vegan Dining Program
Yes
A brief description of the vegan dining program:
*Daily menus include food that has balanced nutrients and portion size; contains no solid meat, no dairy, no eggs and no honey; and contains no solid meat, but may contain eggs or dairy. *Dining locations on campus must provide these things daily: 1 plain bean or legume (minimum), 1 whole grain composed salad (minimum), fruit or vegetable side, a vegetarian or vegan sandwich, a veggie burger, and dried fruit. *Morgan Dining Hall provides a Vegan hot line for lunch and dinner. Vegan options for breakfast have been initiated. *The Goat's Head restaurant provides a Vegan Menu with changes to options each semester.
Low-Impact Dining Events
Yes
A brief description of the low impact dining events:
Plant-Based Monday is a highlight each Monday at Morgan Dining Hall. Two hot lines serve only vegetarian/vegan options for lunch.
Sustainability-Themed Meals
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability-themed meals:
*FYUL is a wellness program developed by students, for students! This ground-breaking initiative is centered on providing "functional foods" that not only taste great, but also deliver amazing health benefits. Through analysis of our dining trends, we have found many customers asking for tasty recipes that fuel their personal health and wellness goals. We were happy to rise to the occasion with revolutionary recipes for our guests to enjoy. Under the FYUL program, guests will enjoy a variety of functional foods developed around main sustainability and wellness topics.*Plant-based Meal Competition (2019). *Earth Table. *Veg Forward. *Superfood Themes.
Sustainability-Themed Outlet
No
A brief description of the sustainability-themed food outlet:
na
Labeling and Signage
Yes
A brief description of the sustainability labeling and signage in dining halls:
"The dining hall has a wall graphic that details the amount of food waste as it relates to specific food items in pounds.We also have signage that promotes fair trade, eating local, conservation, Project Clean Plate (minimizing food waste), vegan and gluten free food options.
"
Outreach and Education
Yes
A brief description of the outreach efforts to support learning and research about sustainable food systems:
*Fair Trade Events are held 4 times per year. *Superfood Events highlight the nutritional, sustainable, and culinary benefits of plant-based menu items. *Made from Scratch, "Impossible burger" table. highlighting these menu items that are made from scratch.
Other Initiatives
Yes
A brief description of the other sustainability-related dining initiatives:
"WPI's Morgan Dining Hall includes Spoon Around the World, where a changing menu highlights different regions of the world each week—items might include dishes from countries in South America one week, Asia the next. The menu is not repeated on a set rotation, and the Dining Manager says it’s often decided just two or three days ahead of serving to ensure all the ingredients will be available and fresh.
This initiative is a plan to celebrate WPI’s diversity by serving different international dishes every day. A year after its launch, the newly named Spoon Around the World was singled out for its diverse menu by Food Management magazine, and WPI’s Dining Services--operated by Chartwells--has been rated one of the top 30 in the country by lendedu.com."
Part 2: Food and Dining Waste
Food Recovery Program
Yes
A brief description of the food recovery competition or commitment program or food waste prevention system:
Dining operations' food waste initiatives include TrimTrax, a waste stream auditing system for service kitchens. Dining Services has a wall graphic that details the amount of food waste as it relates to specific food items in pounds. Dining Services' food waste initiatives include Waste Not-tracking of both pre- and post--consumer food waste. #StopFood Waste, Celebrating Stop Food Waste Day April 2020. Food waste awareness raising events are held periodically in MOrgan Dining, weighing the weight of food waste on students' plates and showing the total amount of food waste during a particular meal. Also, Project Clean Plate is a nationwide program that began on the WPI campus. The program is designed to reduce food waste in all-you-can-eat campus dining operations and provides awareness about international hunger to students. The program solicits help from student organizations to encourage peer-to-peer waste education. Food waste is monitored at the disposal area and an estimate of waste food is posted weekly, educating students about preventable food waste. WPI won Recyclemania's Honorable Mention Award in 2020 for food waste diversion.
Trayless Dining and Portion Modifications
Yes
A brief description of the trayless dining or modified menu/portion program:
Trays were removed from resident dining in 2005. All dining locations on campus are trayless, including Morgan Hall, the Library Cafe, and the Goat's Head Restaurant. The trayless dining has decreased food waste substantially, as well as water that was used to wash the trays.
Food Donation
Yes
A brief description of the food donation program:
Meal Swipes are provided to food insecure students. Morgan Dining Hall provides ready-to-be-heated, nutritionally balanced meals to the Oasis House (Offering Acceptance, Support, and Inclusion to Students) for food-insecure students. Also, WPI began a chapter of the Food recovery network which delivers unserved food to a local nonprofit in the city of Worcester 3 times each week.
Food Materials Diversion
Yes
A brief description of the food materials diversion program:
"All fry oil is recycled through Western Mass Rendering. (appx. 650 pounds/month)
All pre and post-consumer food waste is recycled through (appx. 25,000 pounds/month) Tyde Brook Farm for feed for their pigs in Holden Mass
"
Composting
Yes
A brief description of the pre-consumer composting program:
All pre and post-consumer food waste is recycled through
Tyde Brook Farm for feed for their pigs in Holden Mass
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:
All pre and post-consumer food waste is recycled through
Tyde Brook Farm for feed for their pigs in Holden Mass
Dine-In Service Ware
Yes
A brief description of the reusable service ware program:
Resident Dining has reusable dishes, glassware and silverware. Retail locations have the ability to use China and Silverware instead of disposable containers-We have also instituted a reusable takeout container program in all dining areas across campus.
Take-Away Materials
Yes
A brief description of the compostable containers and service ware:
All dining areas have compostable containers and serviceware. In addition, all dining halls have reusable take-out containers. The take-out container program was instituted in 2018.
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:
Guests at our Dunkin Donuts and retail facility receive a free size upgrade when purchasing with a reusable cup
Other Materials Management Initiatives
No
A brief description of other dining services materials management initiatives:
In 2019, Styrofoam cups have been removed from Planet Smoothie and Dunkin' Donuts on campus.Single use plastic straws have been removed from all dining venues across campus.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://www.csrwire.com/members/11308-compass-group-north-america
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