Do the Green Thing

Catering

Deciding what food we eat, where it’s from, how it’s processed and how far it travels has a major impact on the environment.

UEL is keen to promote sustainable food which is helped by the fact that we have our own in-house catering department. Progress so far includes:

• The majority of our fish is Marine Stewardship Council certified.
• All eggs are free range and we won a Good Egg award for our efforts in November 2011.
• All the coffee, tea and drinking chocolate in our cafes and vending machines is Fairtrade, and we were awarded Fairtrade University status in January 2011 and re-accredited in January 2012.

Our progress follows the aims set out in our Action Plan (see below).

Sustainable Fish City

• The majority of the fish sold in UEL cafes is MSC certified.  That means that it comes from sustainable stocks, and doesn’t have a negative impact on ocean life.  By the end of 2012 we aim to sell only MSC fish. 

• UEL doesn’t sell anything on the MCS ‘Red List’, so you can be sure that you’re not eating any endangered species in our outlets. 

• We work to promote unusual fish options such as coley, which are more sustainable alternatives to cod and haddock. 

• UEL have signed the ‘Sustainable Fish City’ pledge - a campaign run by Sustain, the sustainable food charity.  This aims to make London a world-leader in the supply and consumption of sustainable fish in time for the 2012 Olympics. 

• We’re not just selling sustainable fish – we’re talking about our achievements too, to show our students, staff, visitors and suppliers, that it’s easy to do tasty, affordable fish, whilst reducing our impact on life in our oceans.  

Documents

• ‘Sustainable Fish City’ pledge (PDF, 527 KB)
• Good Egg Award (PDF, 916 KB)
• Sustainable Catering Policy and Action Plan (PDF, 93 KB)

UEL HOMESEARCH