Sodexo has achieved the bronze Food for Life Catering Mark at the University of Bradford.

The Food for Life accreditation is awarded to food providers by the Soil Association as an independent endorsement of the quality, provenance and sustainability of the food they provide, looking at criteria such as use of fresh ingredients, complying with national nutrition standards and meeting UK standards for animal welfare.

Within Bradford’s City Campus, Sodexo operates one main restaurant and five additional outlets made up of a halal deli bar, Costa Coffee cafe and three retail units. Sodexo additionally manages hospitality at the University, providing everything from hot beverages through to high profile events such as conferences and weddings, as well as managing 62 guest bedrooms, housekeeping and three receptions across the estate.

Chris Spargo, Head of Commercial Services University of Bradford said: “Through our Ecoversity programme, we are embedding sustainable development through everything we do and serving healthy and sustainably sourced food is vital to that mission. We are therefore delighted that the Sodexo team on-site have achieved this award.

In order to achieve their bronze award, the Sodexo team at Bradford had to demonstrate, amongst other requirements, that:

  • At least 75% of the dishes on the menu are freshly prepared

  • All meat is from farms which satisfy UK welfare standards and can be traced back to the farm

  • All eggs are from cage free hens

  • Meals do not contain any undesirable food additives, hydrogenated fats or GM ingredients

  • No endangered fish is served

Lee Gallimore, Sodexo Account Manager said; “The Sodexo team at Bradford has worked really hard to produce fresh, seasonal menus which offer students healthy and tasty choices. While working towards the Food for Life Mark, it was important that we didn’t compromise the range of foods available to both the students and staff. It has involved a process of reviewing ingredients and fine tuning menus, so that we always consider sustainability and nutrition, in addition to our continual focus on great choice and taste.

This is a fantastic achievement and we are delighted to share this award with the University.

Rob Sexton, CEO of Soil Association Certification, said: “This is great achievement on the part of Sodexo – serving a Bronze menu means that food meets standards around freshness, traceability, provenance and sustainable sourcing; showing students and staff that Sodexo have taken care of all these considerations when it comes to food on the plate. Meeting these standards can deliver positive impacts all the way down the supply chain, providing benefits to the environment, local producers and public health.”

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