Sustainable Food Policy
Introduction
Manchester Metropolitan University is a first-class rated sustainable university (top five in the People and Planet University League for environmental and ethical performance since 2013) and aims to be a beacon of sustainable development practice by 2030.
The University is committed to taking reasonable and appropriate steps to provide a food and drink offering that considers the protection of the environment, provides benefit for society and that protects and safeguards the welfare of farmed and wild animals.
Purpose of policy
The Sustainable Food Policy provides a series of commitments to ensure that food and drink is produced, sourced, consumed and disposed of in such a way that considers the protection of the environment, provides benefit for society and that protects and safeguards the welfare of farmed and wild animals.
Scope
The policy applies to all University-owned food outlets and hospitality services and provisions. Policy commitments relevant to external suppliers of catering and contracted vendors are outlined in the policy action plan.
Roles and responsibilities
Estates, Facilities and Campus Development senior leadership team
- Agree and approve the Sustainable Food Policy and future revisions.
- Receive reports and information related to the implementation of the policy and action plan.
Catering senior management group
- Provide strategic leadership and oversight on all aspects contained within the policy.
- Ensure the implementation of the policy, ongoing monitoring, and adherence with the policy commitments.
- Review progress and propose amendments to the policy should they be required.
- Ensure awareness of related internal policies and procedures, external regulations, legislation, and standards.
- Undertake professional development as relevant to progress the sustainability of catering operations and services.
Catering outlet managers, head chefs and supervisors
- Ensure operations align with the policy commitments.
- Undertake relevant professional development to progress the sustainability of catering operations and services.
- Disseminate relevant information and ensure staff understand their responsibilities, operating in accordance with the policy.
All catering staff
- Have an awareness and understanding of the policy and apply the policy commitments as part of their role.
- Undertake professional development as relevant to their role.
Policy commitments
The policy sets out a series of commitments related to environmental protection, social benefit, and animal welfare that must be considered and/or adhered to where relevant.
As such, the University will:
- Feature plant-based and vegetarian options on menus in university-operated catering sites.
- Source sustainable seafood by procuring whole fish, fish products and seafood from Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified fisheries and suppliers.
- Procure food and drink products that contain palm oil from sustainable sources only and avoid the use of palm oils in freshly prepared dishes in university-operated catering sites.
- Purchase local food where feasible and where there are environmental and/or social benefits or value created in doing so. (For purpose of this policy, local food has all or some of the following features including grown or produced locally to Manchester, to the region, or elsewhere in the UK as relevant to the produce or product, has short supply chains meaning there are fewer steps between the primary producer and the consumer, or is produced in a way that emphasises relationships between local food producers and the people buying and consuming their food.)
- Offer seasonal menus across Manchester Met food outlets and hospitality.
- Eliminate avoidable single-use (disposable) plastic and non-plastic sundry items and food containers across catering and hospitality services, and where feasible provide all hospitality food and drink in reusable containers.
- Provide access to free mains-fed drinking water within proximity to all food outlets and provide fruit-infused tap water as part of the hospitality menu offering.
- Provide a reusable cup scheme across all catering outlets.
- Undertake practices to prevent and reduce food waste in the first instance and implement a food waste reduction scheme.
- Source ethically traded food, drink and supplies across food and drink services.
- Purchase exclusively free-range whole eggs and work to ensure food products contain free-range egg.
- Source ‘better meat’ (As defined in the Toward “Better” Meat: Aligning meat sourcing strategies with corporate climate and sustainability goals, World Resources Institute, April 2024) and work to purchase exclusively free-range chicken and poultry, free range pork (or outdoor bred and reared), and grass-fed beef and lamb as standard (Compassion in World Farming recommendations for buying meat and poultry).
- Implement the Sustainable Restaurant Association framework for continual improvement in sustainable food and catering, the Food Made Good Standard sustainability certification (3-star rating) for the food service industry.
- Ensure food and drink suppliers and contracted vendors and other external suppliers of catering demonstrate good environmental and social practices across their supply chains and that sustainability standards are embedded as part of tenders contracts.
- Undertake activities that raise awareness and understanding of sustainable food issues and that encourage sustainable food choices.
- Ensure catering operations are supportive of the University’s Leadership in Sustainability Strategy (2022-2026) relating to energy and water use, minimising waste, and maximising reuse and recycling, and comply with relevant environmental legislation and the requirements of the University’s Environmental Management System (EMS).
A related action plan is monitored and reviewed annually to ensure adherence and progression towards the Sustainable Food Policy commitments.
Monitoring and review
This policy will be reviewed at least triennially. Adherence to the policy commitments will be monitored on an annual basis and reported to the Estates, Facilities and Campus Development senior leadership team.
Version information
- Version 3
- Date EIA Approved: April 2025
- Owner: Lai-Gar Sung, Head of Catering, Retail and Hospitality
- Authors: Lai-Gar Sung, Head of Catering, Retail and Hospitality, and Sophie Leigh, Sustainability Manager
- Approved date: 28 January 2025
- Approved by (Board/Committee): Estates, Facilities and Campus Development Directorate Senior Leadership Team
- Last reviewed:
- Date for review: Triennially or as required (January 2028)
- Changes in last review: Addition of a role and responsibilities, content restructure to include policy commitments and development of an associated action plan and targets.