Sustainability

How Drake University Dining Services Is Promoting Sustainability

Recycling

• Plastics #1, #2, #6, #9, Cardboard, Mixed Paper, Newspapers, Metal Cans

Retail Local-Organic-Natural-Sustainable

• Sustainability at Sodexo
  We recognize that we have a responsibility to use our resources wisely and to protect them for future generations. Natural materials, foods, and packaging, proper farming and trade practices, and innovative recycling programs are just a few of our sustainable practices.
  
  
  • Sodexo Recycle Mugs sold at retail locations
    
    
    
• Kalona Organics – Kalona, Iowa
  All of our milk products are organic cream top. We offer: organic cream-top whole milk, 2%, skim, chocolate and cultured buttermilk. Our milk also contains no added hormones, no antibiotics, and comes from cows that are all vegetarian fed with non-GMO feed.
  
  
  • Cultural Revolution Organic Yogurt
  • Farmers’ All Natural Creamery Organic Milk
    
    
    
• Anderson Erickson – Des Moines, IA:
  All AE Dairy Milks and Yogurts are made from milk free from synthetic hormones
  AE Dairy is an independent, family owned operation in Des Moines, IA
  The majority of AE Dairy’s raw milk supply comes from family-run farms in Iowa
  
  
  
• Starbucks®
  Starbucks® is one of the largest purchasers of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee in the world. This means a better way of life for farmers and great coffee for all of us.
  
  
  • Learn more about Starbucks corporate responsibility:
    http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/farmstories.asp (farm stories)
    http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/envaffairs.asp (environmental affairs)
    http://www.starbucks.com/aboutus/csr.asp (corporate social responsibility)
    
    
    

Environmentally Friendly Initiatives

Sodexo has embraced the United Nations definition of sustainable development as “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Sodexo also supports the American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment, a high-visibility effort to make campuses more sustainable.

Sodexo Campus Dining Services at Drake University is making progress in efforts undertaken to promote an environmentally friendly campus.   Several areas of emphasis in current initiatives undertaken include:

• A transition to a new ware washing program, the Apex System, through Ecolab that supports a more environmentally sustainable approach. Sodexo Announces New System to Boost Positive Environmental Impact
  
  
• Development of a new Drake Dining website with the inclusion of social responsibility and sustainability.

• Waste reduction
  
  
  • Recycling Program Launch
    Mixed paper, newspapers, cardboard, plastics, and metal cans are collected in recycling receptacles located in dining operation production areas and Sodexo offices.
    
    
  • XpressNap Launch
    100% recycled napkins and one napkin at a time dispensers, in all dining operations, reduce paper waste by 20-40%. Sodexo Marks One Year of Recycled Paper Napkin Program
    
    
  • Post Consumer Paper Fiber Cups
    Starbucks We Proudly Brew Coffee is served in Starbucks Coffee cups made with 10% post-consumer recycled paper fiber with Starbucks Coffee sleeves made with 60% post-consumer paper fiber. Use of post consumer paper fiber will reduce Starbucks use of tree fiber, saving roughly 75,000 trees a year.
  • NEW Freshens Ecotainers

    100% Compostable - Making a difference one cup at a time!

    Unlike other cups, this ecotainer cup is made from fully renewable resources
    
    

  • Post Consumer Paper Fiber Packaging
    Hot Stuff Foods, Inc. pizza packaging is made from 75% post consumer paper fiber or made from recyclable corrugate material.
    
    
  • Marketing
    Increased use of paperless marketing and communication, via the Drake Dining website and the BlueView Campus Portal, has reduced paper waste.
  • Trayless Thursdays:
    • Where: Hubbell Dining Hall
    • When: Every Thursday Lunch

• Managing food waste in a sustainable way through continued training of our teams and continued utilization of a Food Management System to find the best management practices for food at the stages of purchasing, menu planning, meal preparation, as well as, after the meal has ended.  As Sodexo continues to utilize these key elements in managing daily operations, an additional benefit has been recognized for staff training on the correlation between menu planning and the environmental impact of food waste reduction.

• Sodexo at Drake University has registered for membership in the Buy Fresh Buy Local campaign conducted by the Drake Agricultural Law Center in an effort to reduce transportation costs and pollution, while supporting local/regional products when available through Sodexo approved purveyors.

• Partnerships with local/regional suppliers and vendors in which Sodexo encourages our suppliers to enhance, protect and restore the environment. In addition, requiring all manufacturers to adhere to the guidelines contained in our Supplier Code of Conduct.

• Designation of a sustainable product location in the convenience store for local, organic, and natural product display.

• Inclusion of local, organic, and natural products into the retail operations
  Monday through Friday organic, natural, sustainable and/or local items are available for purchase in the following locations: Terrace Court, Olmsted Coffee Shop, and Spike’s Convenience Store.