Sustainability Objectives 2024
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.
Please see signed sustainability objectives by the executive team attached: Sustainability objectives 2024 signed by Exec
We are also awaiting our score from the Sustainable Restaurant Association:- https://thesra.org/
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. |
In place and ongoing |
|
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. |
Ongoing |
|
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 |
In place and ongoing |
|
Review of Palm Oil policy |
All outlets |
To ensure policy is working and needs further review |
August 24 |
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 |
|
Continue discount 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 |
|
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 |
Ongoing |
|
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. |
Ongoing |
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 25p dispo cup levy with sales of keep cups at cost |
All Outlets |
To reduce disposable cup usage across campus, the hardest item to be recycled. |
Ongoing and review August 24 |
|
To source cost effective reusable water bottle to allow for the prohibition of all plastic water on Campus |
Food Hall, Conferencing |
If we can find a reusable bottle cheaper than the cost of a single use water bottle |
April 24 |
|
All in house food and drink served on reusable china and glass |
Food Hall, Pantycleyn, Caffibach |
To ensure disposable is used for takeaway only. |
In place and ongoing |
|
Promotion of Plastic Free Day across campus |
All Outlets |
To increase the dialogue and discussion in the reduction of single use plastics. |
April 2024 |
|
Monitoring of landfill and recycled waste streams and record. Along with review of all waste in line with new regulations |
All outlets |
To enable us to monitor the decrease in use of landfill refuse |
May 2024 |
|
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. |
Aspirational
|
|
Only serve refillable water bottles in Medrus Suite |
Conference team |
To reduce plastic usage unnecessarily |
Ongoing |
Journey towards Net 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 |
|
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. |
July 2024 |
|
Check fridge seals to reduce energy usage and efficiency |
All outlets |
To reduce energy usage |
July 2024 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 |
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 |
|
All food suppliers shall be via the TUCO or DEFRA framework or where appointed directly shall be via competitive tender through Sell Wales using the terms of reference of a TUCO framework |
Central Purchasing |
To ensure consistent standards required for suppliers to ensure good practices in sustainability and ethical sourcing. |
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 |
Ongoing |
|
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 |
Ongoing |
|
Join the Sustainable Restaurant Association |
Hospitality Services |
To have an independent score for sustainability for the department for annual review |
Jan 24 and ongoing |
|
Introduce Food for Life onto our menus |
Hospitality Services |
To promote the ethical and animal welfare of our products |
Jan 24 and ongoing |
https://www.tuco.ac.uk/procurement/sustainability/menus-of-change