SUSTAINABILITY
WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP FOR SUSTAINABLE CATERING
When you think sustainability, catering is not usually the first word that comes to mind, however, Bartlett Mitchell and the SRA have come together to spread the word and put green back on the menu.
Sustainability is undoubtedly one of the buzzwords of the decade, and most Facilities Managers today consider it when they are making major operational or investment decisions about their buildings.
Of course, it makes sense from an environmental and societal perspective and it increasingly makes sense financially too, but some areas are complex to improve, such as catering. Boutique caterer, Bartlett Mitchell, and the SRA (Sustainable Restaurant Association) are two organisations that have been working hard to improve the sustainability of workplace catering.
WORKING WITH EXPERTS For many companies, knowing
where to start on their sustainability journey is one of the biggest challenges. Bartlett Mitchell knew that they needed specialist and practical guidance on improving sustainability, luckily for them, the SRA could provide this. The SRA is a not-for-profit organisation that was established in 2010 and it states: “sustainability is about a business managing not only the financial, but
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also the social and environmental impact of its operations. By taking sustainable action, restaurants can make a huge difference on issues such as climate change, animal welfare and food waste”.
The SRA is an impressive source of knowledge and advice for companies to tap into. Businesses that choose to work with them on achieving a sustainability rating will not only increase their knowledge of the subject but also quickly identify practical actions to take.
The SRA promotes three principal ‘Pillars of Sustainability’ - Sourcing, Environment and Society. Each Pillar is broken down into five separate areas each for the first two pillars, and four for the latter - 14 areas in total. Each of these 14 areas must be reviewed and considered. For example, under Sourcing, the areas of Environmentally Positive Farming, Local & Seasonal, Sustainable Fish, Ethical Meat & Dairy, and Fairtrade are covered.
START WITH SMALL STEPS Contract caterers generally don’t
control all the elements they impact
on because they provide catering services in other companies’ premises and therefore, they are less in charge of their own destinies. They rarely decide on or purchase key elements that go into the operation such as restaurant furnishings, kitchen equipment, utility services, waste disposal, etc. Their clients, who are outsourcing their catering, rely on the caterer’s own policies to ensure that their systems and processes are sustainable. The consequence of this is that for best results, it makes sense for contractors and their clients to work together to achieve mutual sustainability objectives.
Sally Grimes is Quality Mentor for Bartlett Mitchell and she worked with the SRA to identify the sustainability criteria that would work in the business catering sector. She explained: “When you start reviewing the sustainability of catering activities, it can be daunting. There are so many elements of a service that need to be reviewed – from the expected areas like local seasonal sourcing, energy consumption and waste, to
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