ment coordinator for the Healthy Living Awards programme. “At the end of the day everyone wants to live healthier lifestyles, and the events sector is no different. We are increasingly working with the caterers who supply into events to achieve more balanced menus.” NHS Health Scotland’s aim is
to reduce health inequalities in Scotland, and the Healthy Living Awards, as part of that, is a free national award for the food service sector in Scotland that rewards ca- terers who ‘make it easier for their customers to eat healthily’. Tat means at least 50% of
menus meeting the healthy criteria; keeping fat, oils, sugar and salt to a minimum, and making fruit and vegetables clearly available. And so far, so good. Te SECC
in Glasgow is among some of the bigger venues, whose four retail caterers – the Deli & Bakery, Noodle Bar, Baked Potato Pod and Salad Pod – have all been awarded the accreditation. Dynamic Earth in Ed- inburgh, which hosted the Healthy Living Awards, earlier this year also provided 50% of its menu options
“AT THE END OF THE DAY EVERYONE WANTS TO LIVE HEALTHIER LIFESTYLES, AND THE EVENTS SECTOR IS NO DIFFERENT”
Yvonne Traynor, Healthy Living Awards
on the day as healthy alternatives, and has signalled it would like to achieve full accreditation in the near future. “We do want to have that balance,”
says Ellie Garvie, the venue’s Event Sales Manager. “It’s nice to still get a pastry in the morning but it’s good to have a balance. We are finding more and more often clients are wanting a healthier option, they are more aware of the healthy eating focus.”
THERE ARE currently around 1,500 caterers nationally on the HLA register; 800 of those have been awarded full certification and the rest are working towards it. Some caterers are actively pursuing it because it helps give them a com- petitive advantage when tendering for public sector contracts, adds Traynor. “One of the corporate ca- tering companies who got involved said this was the primary reason for them getting involved,” she says. “But we work with a lot of private
sector companies as well - parts of the private sector are really com- mitted to it.” And she insists there need not
be a dramatic revision to menus to win the award. “It’s about thinking about what you offer on the menu – often it’s just small changes rather than a wholesale change, evening it up with items that are less healthy.” As far as the process is concerned
Traynor says they try to make it easy for caterers to apply. Companies register online before
receiving guidance about how to achieve the award, and then a visit from an assessor; the aim is to com- plete the process within six months. A certificate is then issued and is valid for two years, during which time they get a follow-up visit, and after the period has expired there is an option to reapply. “We find people coming back a
second, third and even fourth time, which is great,” adds Traynor. “And some of the caterers have moved on to a higher level where they have up to 70% of their menus designated as healthy.” With obesity costing Scotland
up to £4.6bn-a-year, perhaps the weary pursuit of the morning conference bacon roll may soon be a thing of the past.
EVENTSBASE | AUTUMN 2016 | 35
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