Sustainability
3 Star Green Restaurant Association Certified
The Green Restaurant Association has developed a thorough set of standards that reflect the current most sustainable practices within the food service industry. To obtain a GRA certification, a facility must meet a range of criteria concerning energy and water efficiency, food quality, chemical usage, education and transparency, and more. Spangler has obtained a 3-star GRA rating. Chao has obtained a 4-star GRA rating. We are committed to making continuous adjustments and improvements to ensure our facilities are constantly meeting the GRA’s requirements so we can maintain our high ratings.
Food Waste Reduction
Waste Not 2.0 Program
HBS Dining Facilities are a part of the Waste Not 2.0 Program, which brings awareness to the large food waste issue and strives to change behaviors to reduce food waste. The program has implemented a tablet in each of our kitchens to track the food waste from each kitchen area. The tablet tracks what waste is avoidable (such as burned or expired food) and what is unavoidable (such as shells and bones). In engaging in this program, it is our goal to greatly reduce the amount of avoidable waste we are producing in our kitchens.
Menu Planning
Menus for all of our dining facilities are planned strategically in advance. We carefully construct menus based on student demand, student schedules, and how many people we expect to be on campus on a given day. In doing this, we are able to adjust food production accordingly and avoid over ordering and over producing.
Plastic Reduction
We are committed to reducing the amount of single-use plastic on our campus. We have replaced plastic water bottles with Ever & Ever aluminum bottles. These bottles are 100% recyclable and are BPA, BPS and BPF free. We have also swapped plastic juice and soda bottles with glass bottles and cans. We acknowledge that every type of commercial packaging available has positive and negative attributes; for this reason, we are actively working with partners and suppliers to offer the most sustainable packaging solutions.
Compost
We encourage students and faculty to dine in-house using our reusable dining ware. However, we understand that busy schedules do not always permit this. For this reason, we have replaced all single-use plastic to go containers and utensils with their compostable counterparts. We now provide PFAS-free containers made of unbleached plant fiber. These containers are completely biodegrade, turning into nutrient-rich soil in just a few months. These containers also require less energy to produce than petroleum-based products, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Food Donation
Restaurant Associates donates all leftover pre-packaged foods to a non-profit organization called Food for Free, who then supplies this food to local meal programs and providers. Food for Free rescues over 2 million pounds of food each year, reducing food waste and helping to feed over 150,000 Boston residents.
Carbon Reduction
Greener by Default Program
We consult with a company called Greener by Default. The Greener by Default team helps us determine how to best apply behavioral science to food policy and encourage diners to make sustainable food choices, while also respecting their freedom to choose. They have helped us implement more vegan options in our retail and catering menus.
Carbon Foodprint
To keep track of, and ultimately lower, our carbon footprint, we utilize Carbon Foodprint. Carbon Foodprint gathers information about our emissions, offsets and reductions, including our food suppliers’ emissions. Carbon Foodprint then analyzes the data and makes suggestions for ways we can lower our footprint.
Coolfood Pledge
Harvard University has been a member of the Coolfood Pledge since 2019. As members, we are committed to reducing our food-associated greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 relative to our emissions in 2015. This is in line with the Paris Climate Agreement. We report all food purchases, by weight, each year and determine the climate impact of our food production using the Coolfood Calculator.
Plant-Based Eating
All HBS’ dining facilities offer food options that are suitable for those following any plant-based or plant-forward diet. Our menus are labeled with distinctive icons relaying vegan and vegetarian options.
Animal Welfare
Vital Farms
All dining facilities throughout HBS use pasture-raised eggs from Vital Farms. Vital Farms is a company dedicated to the ethical production of food. They treat their chicken with care and respect to retrieve eggs ethically. Furthermore, they do not use pesticides or herbicides on their pasture.
Antibiotic-Free Meats
We do not serve meat in any of our facilities that are treated with antibiotics. Consuming meat from animals treated with antibiotics encourages our bodies to develop an antibiotic resistance, which is a significant public health concern. For this reason, we commit to only serving antibiotic-free meats.
Sustainable Seafood
In terms of the seafood we serve, we follow all guidelines set by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch program. This program evaluates the following criteria for every type of seafood:
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- Impacts on the Species Under Assessment: the condition of the fish population and if overfishing is occurring.
- Impacts on Other Capture Species: The fishery’s impacts on other fish and animals that are caught or used for bait.
- Impacts on the Habitat and Ecosystem: The fishery’s impact on the sea floor and food web.
- Management Effectiveness: The efforts to understand and minimize the fishery’s impact on marine life.
Farm Forward’s Leadership Circle
We have been a member of the Farm Forward Leadership Circle since 2019. Farm Forward is a non-profit organization that promotes making ethical food choices and supporting the humane treatment of animals. As members of Leadership Circle, we are devoted to buying animal products from ethical sources that align with the Leadership Circle’s sourcing requirements. We also look for ways to support and endorse farms and ranches that raise their animals to the highest level of welfare.
Wellbeing of Workers & Community Through the Food Chain
Local, Minority & Women Owned Businesses
We offer the Retail Incubator program on campus. The Retail Incubator is a program we feature supported by our parent company, Compass Group, which finds pre-packaged and bottled food and beverage companies that fall under at least one of three tiers: local, women or minority owned, and socially responsible. We make these foods and beverages available for purchase in several dining locations on campus. In doing this, we are fighting inequalities and generational wealth gaps, providing local and responsible products, and in some cases helping small businesses by showcasing their product to a larger audience. Do you know of a great product we could review for Retail Incubator? Please let us know by emailing [email protected].
Atlantic Sea Farms Partnership
We have partnered with Atlantic Sea Farms, the first commercially viable seaweed farm in the United States. Atlantic Sea Farms is committed to provide domestic, fresh and healthy alternatives to imported, artificial seaweed products. They also partner with local fisherman, whom by growing seaweed in their off season from fishing, are actively improving the health of the oceans and mitigating effects of climate change. We are passionate about the work Atlantic Sea Farms is doing and we serve their seaweed and products in our dining facilities.
Eco-Certified Coffee
All coffee served in our dining facilities is Eco-certified coffee. Large scale coffee production has a colossal impact on the environment in which it is produced and oftentimes farmers do not earn sufficient wages from their coffee production. Eco-certified coffee is produced in the most responsible manner and has obtained various certifications to ensure coffee growers receive fair compensation and their environments are protected. Eco-certified coffee is certified in Fair Trade, Rainforest Alliance, Shade Grow, Bird Friendly, Utz Kapeh, C.A.F.E and it is organic.
Thompson Hospitality Partnership
We have partnered with Thompson Hospitality: a large family-run restaurant, food service, and facilities management company. Their mission is to provide a positive experience to all guests, clients and team members. They focus on bringing authentic cuisines from around the world to educate our students on cultural food.
Allergen Warning
Be aware that we handle and prepare egg, milk, wheat, gluten, shellfish, fish, soy, sesame, peanut and tree nut products, and other potential allergens in the food production areas of our facility. Risk of cross contamination may occur without our knowledge due to the proximity of other ingredients containing allergens. Guests with food allergies or specific dietary concerns should speak with our ingredient allergen expert for individualized assistance.
