Sustainable Food at BCU
Award-winning catering, local sourcing, and greener choices every day
Sustainable Catering Plan
Our Sustainable Catering Plan (2025–2030)
Building on our success, the plan updates targets aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Highlights include:
- Targeting Food for Life Gold accreditation
- Increasing plant-based options
- Reducing and removing single-use packaging
- Carbon labelling menus
- Supporting food growing on campus with students and staff
- Real living wage for catering staff
Our Commitments
Meet Best Practice Standards
All University catering meets or exceeds national benchmarks and is accredited with the Soil Association’s Food for Life Bronze Award, recognising fresh, sustainable, and ethical food.
Promote Social Justice & Ethical Sourcing
We offer a wide range of Fairtrade and ethically sourced products, including coffee, chocolate, and tea, supporting fair wages and better conditions for producers.
Animal Welfare & Sustainable Farming
All eggs are free range, and all milk and meat are Red Tractor assured. We’re phasing out intensive products in favour of more ethical and organic options where possible.
Minimise Environmental Impact
We separate and weigh food waste, use energy efficient appliances, reduce transport emissions by sourcing locally, and turn waste oil into biofuel.
Celebrate Cultural Diversity
Our menus are increasingly inclusive and representative, with halal, vegetarian, vegan, and international dishes reflecting our diverse community.
Encourage Healthy Eating
Seasonal ingredients and balanced meals are central to our offer.
Support Plant-Based Choices
Through the Food EQ programme, we’re reducing meat in recipes and offering more plant-based dishes to cut carbon and promote wellbeing.
Buy Local, Support Communities
Our ingredients come from local suppliers, cutting food miles and supporting the UK farming economy.
Engage & Communicate
Through events like Fairtrade Fortnight, social media (@bcu_gardening, @bcu_sustainability), and sustainable food campaigns, we engage students and staff all year round.
Champion Fair Employment & Supply Chains
All BaxterStorey staff are paid at least the real Living Wage. We favour suppliers with ethical labour and environmental practices, and provide regular sustainability training.
Bronze Food for Life
We’re proud to be Soil Association Food for Life Bronze accredited – ensuring healthy, ethical, and sustainable meals across campus.
At a Glance: Our Catering Impact
- 100% free-range eggs across all catering outlets
- Bring your own cup and save 15p on hot drinks
- 100% MSC certified fish
- No single-use plastic cutlery or sauce sachets
In the last year alone, BCU recycled 60 tonnes of food waste, that’s the equivalent of generating 18,000 kWh of renewable electricity and producing 12 tonnes of compost. All of this waste is sent to an anaerobic digestion facility, where it’s transformed into clean energy and nutrient-rich fertiliser and nothing goes to landfill.
But while recycling is a great last step, preventing food waste is even better. That’s why we’re always working to reduce food waste across campus. Food waste is tracked and weighed regularly across all catering sites, helping us make continuous improvements, from smarter menu planning and portion control to staff training and student awareness campaigns. Every small action makes a difference, and we’re proud to be building a more sustainable food culture at BCU with your help.
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Helen Parmenter, BCU BA (Hons) Art and Design Student
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Morag Elliott, Operations Manager, BaxterStorey
Meet Our Suppliers
We work with trusted British producers who share our commitment to sustainability, quality, and ethical food systems. Here are just two of the fantastic suppliers helping us deliver greener meals at BCU.
Dyson Farming 
Sustainable agriculture at scale
Dyson Farming grows jacket potatoes and frozen peas exclusively for BaxterStorey customers, including right here at BCU.
Located in Lincolnshire, Dyson Farming leads the way in low-carbon agriculture by:
- Using anaerobic digestion to generate renewable energy
- Enhancing soil health through precision farming
- Focusing on long-term sustainable land management
Learn more: dysonfarming.com
Barber’s Farmhouse Cheesemakers 
Barber’s have been crafting traditional West Country cheddar on their Somerset farm since 1833.
All the cheese used in our catering outlets is:
- 100% British made
- Produced using milk from local farms
Barber’s also support responsible farming and are proud members of Red Tractor, ensuring high animal welfare and traceability.
Learn more: barbers.co.uk