Sustainable Food

The University of Glasgow is committed to making the food it serves as sustainable as possible. In order to achieve its sustainability goals our Catering and Events Team have developed a ‌ [PDF].

Catering and Events is working to promote sustainable alternatives to students and staff including the KeepCup initiative, Water Bottle Refill Stations and the provision of vegetarian and vegan options at all of our outlets.

At present the University's Catering and Events Team holds a variety of food accreditions:

  • Sustainable Resturant Association
  • Fairtrade
  • Red Tractor
  • Vegetarian Society
  • Vegan Society

Sustainable Restaurant Association

sustainable restaurant association rating web image

The University of Glasgow is a member of the Food Made Good programme, which was developed around the SRA's well respected sustainability framework. Within this there are three key areas of focus:

  • Sourcing
  • Society
  • Environment

At present the University has a 2-star rating and is striving to reach a 3-star rating at its next review.

Fairtrade Accreditation

Fairtrade accreditation

Since gaining its Fairtrade University status in 2004, the University of Glasgow has worked tirelessly to uphold the values of the UK's Fairtrade Foundation. Being Fairtrade is a part of the University’s commitment to sustainability, international development and to offering choice to the people who work, study and visit the University. Fairtrade status creates another opportunity to communicate the University’s values and ethos.

To maintain our Fairtrade accreditation, the University has to demonstrate its commitment to five goals laid out by the Fairtrade Foundation. These are articulated through our Fairtrade policy:

  1. Fairtrade foods are available for sale in all campus shops and used in all cafés/restaurants/bars on campus. Where this is not possible, there is a commitment to begin to use Fairtrade foods in these establishments as soon as it becomes possible to do so.
  2. Fairtrade foods (for example, coffee and tea) are served at all meetings hosted by the university and the Student bodies, and in all university and Student Union management offices.
  3. The process of maintaining Fairtrade status is co-ordinated by a Fairtrade Steering Group that includes academics, students and members of the local community. This group will prepare and oversee the implementation of an action plan to maintain Fairtrade status for the University.
  4. The Steering Group will organise the publicity for Fairtrade Fortnight and other promotions of Fairtrade products on an ongoing basis to ensure awareness-raising is maintained on campus.
  5. The Steering Group will send a yearly report on 'Fairtrade in the University' to the Court/Senate and to the Fairtrade Foundation in order to maintain our Fairtrade status.

Catering and Events

The University Main Building with south Glasgow behind it

Water Refill Stations

Catering and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

  • We are proud to serve fairtrade
  • Phased out single use plastics
  • Water bottle refill stations
  • Our catering outlets and our hospitality operations now use compostable packaging and tableware, and we are increasing the number of dedicated bins for compostable waste across Campus
  • Reverse vending machines
  • We are committed to using local suppliers where we can, to cut down our food footprint
  • We use ethical suppliers:
    • NOBL water plant a tree for every 12 drinks sold
    • Mossgiel, our milk supplier, were the first Dairy in the UK to completely stop using single-use plastic packaging

UN SDG colour wheel