Sustainability Objectives 2023

Hospitality Services are pleased to be part of Aberystwyth University’s ongoing commitment to sustainability in all of it operations. We present this Sustainability Action Plan as a working document. As with all such plans, they are only possible through the engagement of our staff, customers and suppliers.

We welcome all inputs to this plan as we strive towards greater sustainable practices and carbon neutrality.

 

 

Palm Oil

Overall objective: We seek to ultimately remove all products that contain non-sustainable palm oil from Hospitality Services. We seek to do this by supplier engagement as well as providing customers with the information as to which products contain palm oil. We advocate that sustainable accredited palm oil (RSPO) is produced in a way that is sustainable by helping to halt deforestation; assists in communities and workers being paid fairly; as well as protecting wildlife and environment. 

Actions for achievement:

Action

Areas to be put in place

Objective of actions

Target date for launch

Marking of products that contain palm oil with the following label system: Green (none); Yellow (palm oil but RSPO); Red (non-accredited)

All outlets

We seek to give customers the pertinent information so that they can make decisions to buy that product or not.

Student Union Shop already using this system.

All other outlets - April 2023

Allocation of resources to establish palm oil contents of products purchased via purchasing platform and discussion with suppliers

Penbryn admin team

To ensure information is collected and verified on products. Engage with suppliers to inform of products that are non-compliant and therefore likely to be delisted.

May 2023

Review of all products containing non-RSPO palm oil, with alternatives if possible.

Penbryn admin team

To create information regarding products to be replaced with alternatives 

August 2023

Review of Palm Oil policy

All outlets

To ensure policy is working and needs further review

September 2023

 

https://rspo.org/why-sustainable-palm-oil/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8t2eBhDeARIsAAVEga3pVSVu_S_PnMwkwaA0wwkK7gCN7xOypNNi3pShLmi1VWQ6w2w6t-QaAubjEALw_wcB

Reduce food waste

Overall Objective: All food that is purchased and then not consumed is to be avoided to reduce carbon footprint and to increase sustainable practices by customers and staff.  This will be by reduction in plate waste (food that is purchased, but not eaten in our outlets), reduction in the amount of food going out of date, as well as reduction in food production waste. All waste that is produced is to then be placed into food recycling bins at all outlets.

Actions for achievement.

Action

Areas to be put in place

Objective of actions

Target date for launch

Introduce discounted for all food near sell by date by ‘when it gone its gone’ stickers

All outlets

To sell food with a short date life left at or below cost price to ensure it is consumed rather than thrown away

Ongoing, possible relaunch for public information

Control of portion size with add on for veg and salad

Food hall, Blas Gogerddan 

To encourage customers consume the food they buy, by assisting them in making a conscious decision to purchase rather than have simply because it is included in the price

Sept 2022

Menu design to allow for short term special offers for produced food from kitchen, such as a £4.00 main course

Food hall, Blas Gogerddan 

To allow us to sell food that has been over produced quickly at cost to students.

Ongoing

Measurement of food waste produced by amount in food bins by a weekly check before collection. (note food waste going into compost bins not included- SU)

Food Hall, Pantycelyn

To monitor our food waste and so help to monitor the success of the above practices

March 2023

Control of the amount of hot food produced for service on the hot counters towards the end of service times from 15 minutes before the counter will close. So not to replace dishes that have sold out

Food hall, Blas Gogerddan , Pantycelyn

To reduce the amount of food that has been cooked and cannot be reused and so has to be thrown away.

January 2023 and ongoing

 

https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/take-action-save-food/our-planet-your-food?gclid=Cj0KCQiA8t2eBhDeARIsAAVEga1lzCPC5arUHVzL9YEROuFHeu8M5hruklw7x67EyIEBegRTtGpBBPcaAjsWEALw_wcB

Reduce disposable items used on campus

Overall Objective: - In our ‘Grab n Go’ culture there is always a requirement for some disposable products to be used. However we will firstly seek to ensure all disposables used are either recyclable or bio degradable. Then we will seek to reduce the amount of disposables used, and to encourage practices that reinforce this. We will also seek to ensure more material is recycled where possible.

Actions for Achievement.

Action

Areas to be put in place

Objective of actions

Target date for launch

Set up 20p discount for all customers bringing their own keep cup with drinks purchase

All Outlets

To reduce disposable cup usage across campus, the hardest item to be recycled.

Feb 2023

Increase the number of water fountains on campus by installing bottle refilling station in the Students Union.

Students Union Building

To help stop the sale of plastic water bottles

Sept 2023

To source cost effective reusable water bottle to allow for the prohibition of all plastic water on Campus

TBC

If we can find a reusable bottle cheaper than the cost of a single use water bottle

Ongoing- aspirational

All in house food and drink served on reusable china and glass

Food Hall, Pantycleyn, IBERbach,  Su Bar

To ensure disposable is used for takeaway only.

June 2023

Increase the amount of recycling bins and signage for all outlets

All Outlets

To increase the amount recycled by our customers

June 2023

 

Remove all single sauce sachets and condiments and replace with sauce bottles 

All outlets

Take away the single use packets with signage to explain

September 2023

Relaunch Plastic Free Day

All Outlets

To increase the dialogue and discussion in the reduction of single use plastics.

April 2023

Monitoring of landfill and recycled waste streams and record

All outlets

To enable us to monitor the decrease in use of landfill refuse

September 2023

Make plastic packaging be a negative score on supplier tenders for Hospitality

Central purchasing

To encourage recyclable materials for goods packaging and delivery.

Ongoing

To replace all disposable cups used in conference delivery by purchase of reusable alternative and put structure in place for the distribution and collection of

Conference team

To stop all disposable cup usage in conference delivery.

September 2023

 

Only serve refillable water bottles in Medrus Suite

Conference team

To reduce plastic usage unnecessarily

August

 

https://wrapcymru.org.uk/

Journey towards Nett Zero Carbon

Overall Objective: - Aberystwyth has committed to achieving a nett zero target by the year 2030-31.  Hospitality services will undertake to monitor and review its practices to reduce our emissions within scope 1, 2 and 3 of our operations.

Scope 1 is direct emissions sources resulting from company owned machinery, facilities, and vehicles. Scope 2 is indirect emissions sources associated with the generation of electricity, heat, steam and/or cooling, Scope 3 is indirect emissions resulting from all other activities and sources not covered in Scope 2; includes business travel, commuting, waste, and third party deliveries.

Actions for Achievement.

Action

Areas to be put in place

Objective of actions

Target date for launch

Seek to identify source carbon for menu items through purchasing portal

Central purchasing

To be able to look for substitute items for lower carbon footprint.

December 2023

Build carbon footprint of each menu through procure wizard software and record

Central purchasing

To be able to analyse and action menu alterations to reduce carbon in scope 1 and 3

December 2023

We would like to action carbon signage on menus to help steer public behaviour

All outlets

To enable our customers to make informed purchasing decisions.

Aspirational

To require all suppliers to be committed to carbon zero through their operations via the tender process

Central purchasing

To help reduce the carbon from scope 3

Ongoing

Reduce energy usage in fridges by Bluetooth plug sockets to enable being switched off at night for non-food critical fridges

All outlets

To reduce unnecessary carbon and electricity usage.

August 2023

Check fridge seals to reduce energy usage and efficiency

All outlets

To reduce energy usage

August 2023 and annual

Only use electrical vehicles within the department

Hospitality services

2 new electric vans purchased

Ongoing

Remove all Gas equipment at the end of its life

All outlets

To reduce carbon produced in food production

Ongoing

Review of kitchen equipment and usage via energy performance monitoring. leading review of production methods and equipment lifecycle subject to power limitations in supply

All outlets

To reduce energy usage

November

Enable the reading of the power usage for all outlets individually

All outlets

To enable staff to monitor and see energy usage and effect savings

November

 

https://www.gov.wales/net-zero-wales

Ethical practises and purchasing

Overall Objective: - Hospitality Services measures its performance using the triple bottom line method of people, profit and planet.  We seek to ensure that we follow the ethic purchasing guidelines by looking to ensure we follow the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. 

We hope that by asking for ethical and sustainable behaviour from our suppliers we can encourage and celebrate behaviour which is to the benefit of us all.

Actions for Achievement.

Action

Areas to be put in place

Objective of actions

Target date for launch

Require all suppliers to have signed up to pay the living wage

Central Purchasing

Promote fair pay for all employees and sub-contractors

Ongoing

Ensure all companies that supply Hospitality Services have signed up to comply with the 17 UN sustainable Goals

Central Purchasing

To promote good practice in our suppliers

Ongoing

To set purchasing policy of buying local, Welsh then British where possible within the University financial procedures

Central Purchasing

To enable us to buy as local produce as possible

Ongoing

Ask our major suppliers to supply annual measurement criteria for their sustainable practices to ensure continued improvement

Central Purchasing

To promote continued improvement by our suppliers for their sustainable and Nett Zero advancement

Annual review August for all suppiers

Ensure all suppliers have signed up to be compliant with the Modern Slavery Act 2015 as a prerequisite for dealing with Hospitality Services

Central Purchasing

Via annual questionnaire to all suppliers to ensure compliance

Ongoing

Work towards the adoption of ‘Menus for Change ‘  in all of our food purchase, production and service

All outlets

To be used as a guide for our food production for all of our areas to assist  in our improved sustainability

Start of the process by June 23

 

https://www.tuco.ac.uk/procurement/sustainability/menus-of-change