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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Pam Yee
Title: Marketing Manager
Date survey submitted: July 13, 2009
1) Total annual food budget: 25.5%
Revision submitted 7/28/09: $6.9 million
LOCALLY GROWN AND PRODUCED FOOD
Note: Geographic location and seasonal availability are taken into account in assessing your response. "Local" is defined as within 150 miles of your campus.
2) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to local purchases?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
Sodexo has a local purchasing policy for produce. In our contracts, we require produce companies to source fruits and vegetables from the same state or geographical region.
Additionally, we require all vendors to follow the Sodexo vendor Code of Conduct covering the following areas; child labor, forced labor, wages and benefits, working hours, health and safety guidelines, freedom of association, non-discrimination, disciplinary practices/coercion, environmental guidelines, community involvement, ethical standards, conflicts of interest and communication. http://www.sodexousa.com/usen/citizenship/diversity/suppliercode/suppliercode.asp
Questions 3-5 pertain to locally grown purchases.
3) From how many local forms or growers do you purchase (excluding on-campus farms/gardens)?
[ # ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ 10% from T. Castro; 20% from GFS ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor:
T-Castro (Chicago, Illinois) and GFS (Grand Rapids, Michigan
Revision submitted 7/28/09: 16 Farms T. Castro and 22 farms GFS
4) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was grown or raised locally?
5%
5) Please list foods you purchase that are grown or raised locally (e.g., fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, fish, honey, maple syrup; foods that are processed locally should be listed in question 8):
Produce is purchased through T. Castro and GFS which distributes items that are grown locally. The following local produce is purchased: cabbage, apples, zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, corn, cucumbers, celery, peppers, butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash and mesclun mix.
Questions 6-8 pertain to locally produced and/or processed items.
6) From how many local processors do you purchase?
[ 5 ] Number from which you purchase directly.
[ # ] Number from which you purchase through a distributor. Please specify name and location of distributor:
7) How much do you spend annually on purchasing food that was processed locally?
15%
8) Please list items you purchase that are processed locally (e.g., bread, granola, ice cream, baked goods, yogurt, cheese):
Local producers include: Little Miss Muffin located in Chicago, IL (about 13 miles from Evanston), Treasure Ocean located in Chicago, IL (about 13 miles from Evanston), Crepe Bistro located in Chicago, IL (about 13 miles from Evanston), Tags Bakery located in Evanston, IL, Muller Pinehurst located in Rockford, IL (about 84 miles from Evanston).
9) Do you purchase milk from a local dairy?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please provide name of dairy and location:
Muller Pinhurst in Rockford, Illinois (about 84 miles from Evanston).
10) Do you source any food from an on-campus farm or garden?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe source and amount:
11) Do you participate in a farm-to-school program?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe program:
ORGANIC AND SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED FOOD
12) Do you have any formal policies pertaining to the purchase of organic and/or sustainably produced food?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe and provide URL, if available:
Sodexo has agreements with regional and broadline distributors that provide organic and sustainably produced foods available to all accounts for purchase. As of July 2009, Sodexo has made the following commitments with an achievement date of 2015.
-100% of the fish and seafood we serve will be sustainably caught and raised.
-100% of the farm and ranch products we serve will be responsibly grown from local and sustainable producers.
13) Do you purchase organically grown or produced food?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please list items:
Seattle’s Best Fair trade organic coffee in all resident dining and retail locations
Natural and organic peanut butter
Natural and organic almond butter
Newman’s Own Organic cookies
Newman’s Own Organic microwavable popcorn
Parkers Farm Peanut Butter
Stonyfield Farm smoothies
Stonyfield Farm yogurt
Amy’s Kitchen Natural and Organic frozen meals, pizzas, burritos
Organic Valley string cheese
Earthbound Farm organic mesclun mix
Nature's Path cookies, bars and cereal
Kind bars
Kashi cereal and bars
New Balance bars
Health Valley cookies
Mr. Krispers
Food Should Taste Good chips
ONE coconut water
Cliff bars
Luna bars
Bocca frozen nuggets
Fabe's organic cookies, pies and brownies
Simply Asia products
Organic Valley milk
Dr. McDogall's soups
Back to Nature macaroni and cheese
Lassi organic smoothies
Bare Naked granola
Lifeway Keifer smoothies
Late July snacks and cookies
T's Teas
Full Circle organic product – a wide range of items from vitamins to snack items
14) How much do you spend annually on organically grown or produced food?
2%
For questions 15-19, please indicate percentage based on annual dollar amount spent.
15) Do you purchase cage-free eggs and/or confinement-free meat products?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Percentage cage-free eggs
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
[ %] Percentage confinement-free. Type of meat product:
16) Do you purchase any grass-fed animal products?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
[ %] Grass-fed. Type of animal product:
17) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free meat?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ 100%] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat: poultry
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of meat:
18) Do you purchase hormone- and antibiotic-free dairy products?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ 100%] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product: Milk
[ %] Percentage hormone- and antibiotic-free. Type of dairy product:
19) Do you purchase seafood that meets Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines or Marine Stewardship Council standards?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please indicate.
[ 100%] Percentage purchased that meets guidelines. Please list guidelines used:
Sodexo contracts through regional and broadline distributors for seafood that provide seafood certified by the Marine Stewardship Council and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines as well as the Aquaculture Certification Council.
20) Do you offer specifically labeled vegan entrees on a daily, weekly, or other regularly scheduled basis?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please specify number of options and the frequency with which they are offered: Yes, we have vegan entree and vegetarian entree options as well as sides available daily in all locations. In 2007, Northwestern was named Peta2's Most Vegetarian Friendly College.
21) Please list and give percentages for any other sustainably produced food items you purchase that are not included above:
FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS
22) Do you purchase Fair Trade Certified coffee?
[ ] No
[ ] Some. Please describe:
[ x] All
23) Do you purchase other Fair Trade Certified food products?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate (repeat for each product).
[ ] Percentage purchased that is Fair Trade Certified. Type of item:
DISHWARE AND ECO-FRIENDLY INCENTIVES
24) Please indicate which of following your university-operated/contracted dining facilities offers.
[ ] Disposable dishware
[ ] Only reusable dishware
[ x ] Reusable and disposable dishware
25) If you offer disposables, please indicate materials used (check all that apply).
[ x ] Plastic or polystyrene
[ x ] Postconsumer recycled content
[ x ] Biodegradable/compostable
[ ] Other
Description (optional):
SCA Tissues – we only use natural napkins that are made of 100% recycled material and a Bleach free process - http://www.scatissue.com/environment/
Starbucks coffee cups are made of 10% post consumer recycled fiber -http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/csr.asp
Seattle’s Best coffee sleeves are made from 60% post-consumer recycled fiber and uses approximately 45% less material than a second paper cup
Office paper – contains 35% post consumer recycled fibers
Starting in 2008, dining services started using biodegradable plastic bags in the c-stores and retail locations for customers that needed a bag for carry out items.
Marketing materials are printed on 10% post consumer recycled paper and printed with soy based inks.
Select locations use BARE Solo cups which is made with at least 50% renewable resources.
Select locations use Potatoware for their forks, spoons and knives and use Enviroware for their utensil packs for box lunches.
26) Do your dining facilities offer discounts or cash incentives to individuals using reusable dishware, bringing a bag, or bringing reusable containers?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: Dining services offers a discount when a customer uses a reusable mug and cup. The Northwestern Alumni Association gives away a reusable bottle to every incoming freshman. Dining services discount is promoted in the reusable bottles to encourage students to use their reusable bottles.
We also sell reusable bags and donate $1 to Campus Kitchens for every bag purchased to encourage to students to purchase and use the bags.
In all of the dining halls we offer filtered water stations. The students can use these stations to fill up their reusable bottles instead of purchasing bottle water.
27) Do your dining facilities use any polystyrene products (i.e., Styrofoam)?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: Yes, we have eliminated all Styrofoam but our soup containers in four retail locations. We are looking into a paper soup container. We have eliminated the use of Styrofoam cups and have switch to paper cups in our retail locations.
FOOD COMPOSTING AND WASTE DIVERSION
28) Do your dining facilities compost preconsumer food scraps?
[ x ] No - Current IL law makes establishment of commercial food waste composting all but impossible with a cost-prohibitive process to site a facility. A change in the law has been proposed that may help to expand options. See http://www.senatedem.ilga.gov/GH_ShowArticle.asp?HID=1300 and http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=0099&GAID=10&GA=96&DocTypeID=SB&LegID=40422&SessionID=76.
[ ] Yes. Please indicate the proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs (e.g. two out of five dining facilities) and, if available, the combined annual tonnage composted.
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run preconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of preconsumer compost.
29) Do your dining facilities compost postconsumer food scraps?
[ x ] No
[ ] Yes. Please indicate the proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs (e.g. two out of five dining facilities) and, if available, the combined annual tonnage composted.
[ %] Proportion of dining facilities that run postconsumer compost programs.
[ ] Annual tonnage of postconsumer compost.
30) Do your dining facilities donate excess food to a food bank, soup kitchen, or shelter, etc.?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: We donate our unused portions of food to Campus Kitchens, an organization that takes the food and creates meals for the unfortunate in the Evanston and Chicago area.
31) Do your dining facilities have a trayless dining program?
[ ] No
[ ] Sometimes--on specific days, on certain occasions, or in specific locations. Please describe:
[ x ] Yes--standard practice. Please describe program including date started and, if available, data on reduced food waste or water consumption: During Earth Day 2008, dining services encouraged students to go trayless in all of the 6 dining halls. We encouraged the students to go without a tray by putting banners and signs around the unit that explained why we were encouraging trayless dining - food waste: when students use plates without trays the amount of food waste decrease by one oz. per plate, water usage: research shows less energy is consumed and it reduces the amount of water and detergents used, Campus Kitchens: any unused portions of food goes to Campus Kitchens to help those in need in the Evanston area - less food that is wasted allows Campus Kitchens to help more in need, waste: the average person throws 163 pounds of food away each year. There was positive feedback from going trayless. Starting fall 2008, dining services eliminated trays from two of the dining locations and continued to encourage going trayless in the other 4 dining locations. Starting fall 2009, an additional 3 dining locations will go trayless.
32) Please tell us about any other steps your dining facilities have taken to reduce waste (e.g., food waste auditing, recycling used cooking oil for biodiesel production): Unused food is donated Campus Kitchens who use the food to make meals for local shelters. Cooking oil is recycled by a local company or given for campus biodiesel fuel research.
As part of our effort to create a more environmentally sustainable operation, we have chosen to use the Ecolab Apex warewashing system. This system will help reduce consumption of natural resources and plastic packaging. The Apex system not only features non-caustic, low-phosphorus* chemistry, but also operates our dish machines more efficiently—often by 10% or higher. This operational efficiency translates into a significant savings of water and energy.
A food pulper has been installed at one of the dining hall locations. The food is designed to reduce waste volume by up to 80%, conserving water and energy.
RECYCLING OF TRADITIONAL MATERIALS
33) Please indicate which traditional materials your dining facilities recycle (check all that apply).
[ ] None
[ x ] Aluminum
[ x ] Cardboard
[ x ] Glass
[ x ] Paper
[ x ] Plastics (all)
[ ] Plastics (some)
[ x ] Other. Please list: Oil, unused portions of food
34) Are recycling receptacles located throughout dining locations?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe: There are newspaper and bottle recycling containers available at all dining locations.
35) What is the dining services' current waste-diversion rate (the percentage of recyclable waste diverted from traditional disposal)?
Please refer to the total diversion rate for Northwestern University. Dining services’ rate is not broken out.
AFFILIATIONS
Questions 36-37 are for informational purposes only; responses will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
36) Indicate if your dining services are:
[ x ] Contracted. Please describe: Sodexo
Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com) is a leading integrated facilities management services company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, with $7.7 billion (USD) in annual revenue and 120,000 employees. Sodexo serves more than ten million customers daily in corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, government, and remote sites. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., is a member of Sodexo Group, and funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.sodexofoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $11 million in grants to fight hunger in America.
[ ] School operated. Please describe:
[ ] Other. Please describe:
37) Is the dining services director, or another dining services staff person, a member of any campus-wide environmental/sustainability initiatives or committees at your school?
[ ] No
[ x ] Yes. Please describe:
There are two dining services managers that are members of the University's SWaG (sustainability working group). Also during the school year dining services will work with students groups on their sustainability initiatives. Such initiatives have included:
Dining services has an annual Weigh the Waste competition between the 6 dining halls. Students had to put their uneaten portions of food in a plastic container. At the end of lunch we weighed the amount of food that was wasted. The dining hall that wasted the least amount of food per person won a carnival themed night. The competition took place to educate students that by taking more food than they eat they are taking away from Campus Kitchens (dining services donates our unused portions of food to Campus Kitchens) and by wasting good, edible food it cost America millions of dollars each year. Informational signs and facts were posted in each dining hall.
On Earth Day, dining services promoted peanut butter and jelly day. When you have a pb&j sandwich you reduce your carbon footprint by saving the equivalent of 2.5 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions over an average animal-based lunch like a hamburger, tuna sandwich or chicken nuggets. www.pbjcampaign.org Each resident dining location featured a made-to-order peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
In the retail locations during Earth Week, we offered a 99 cent fountain soda or brewed coffee refill when the customer brought in their reusable mug or bottle. On Earth Day, the refill was free with a reusable mug or bottle. Dining services ran the promotion to encourage customers to use their reusable mugs or bottles during Earth Week and throughout the year.
SEED, an environmental student group, puts on a Green Cup competition, which students in the resident halls competed to see which resident hall used the least amount of energy and water. Dining services helped Green Cup by doing what we could to help conserve energy and water in the dining halls. Dining services also helped promote Green Cup with a themed dinner and during the competition had flyers with facts on how to be more environmentally friendly and how to conserve. We also donated beverages and pizzas to the winning resident halls.
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