Sustainability

MASS Impact is Sodexo’s commitment to make a positive economic impact in the state of Massachusetts through the purchase of local products, produce, services and responsibly harvested seasonal seafood. Through Mass Impact, Sodexo is committed to fostering a strong economy in Massachusetts and creating inclusive market opportunities for local producers, aggregators, and fisheries.

Agricultural products are local if it is:

• Exclusively grown or trapped in Massachusetts
  
• Derived from an animal that was raised for at least one-third of its life in Massachusetts (except milk)
• For milk, a majority was produced from Massachusetts animals
• Honey produced by Massachusetts colonies located exclusively in Massachusetts when all nectar was collected

Processed foods are local if:

• 50% or more of all product ingredients by volume (excluding water) are raw agricultural products that are local to Massachusetts and
  
• Either processed or the food manufacturer is headquartered in Massachusetts

Unique food products are local if two or more of the following are true:

• 50% or more of all ingredients by volume (excluding water) are raw agricultural products that are local to Massachusetts
• Substantial transformation of the ingredients in the product occurred in Massachusetts
• The headquarters of the company that manufactures the product is in Massachusetts

Food grown, raised, or harvested within the six New England states (+50 mile radius)

Agricultural products are regional if:

• Vendor of the product is a regional food business and 100% of the ingredients were grown, raised, or harvested on farms within the six New England states plus 50 miles.

Processed and unique foods are regional if:

• Vendor of the product is a regional food business and at least 50% of the ingredients were grown, raised, or harvested on farms within the six New England states plus 50 miles (for example: broccoli soup, in which the broccoli and dairy were sourced regionally and equal 50% or more of the ingredients).

Choose to Reuse is a reusable to-go container program. This innovative reusable container program is designed to reduce packaging waste. By participating in the Choose to Reuse program, you can dine at your convenience while also taking steps to protect the environment.

Green To Go containers can be purchased here. Bring your Green to Go Container with you to The Dining Commons and get your meal to go! Hand your Green Container to your server to have it filled with your selections; Next time you visit The Dining Commons, exchange your dirty container for a green key chain (carabiner) or a clean container.

We are committed to responsible sourcing through:

• 100% sustainable seafood partnership with Red's Best
• Fair Trade
• Harvest of the Month - Monthly drop shipment of featured local produce to campus.
  
• Cage Free
• Responsible Supply Chain

Sodexo is proud to sign on as a Northeast Organic Family Farm partner to support organic dairy farms in the Northeast and to help secure the future of organic dairy. We’re committed to purchasing organic dairy products from brands that source their milk from our region. Learn about our commitment and the partnership by visiting www.saveorganicfamilyfarms.org.

Food waste in landfills creates methane, a greenhouse gas which is 21x more potent than CO2. (www.epa.gov) Our first priority is to reduce food waste. We compost food waste that is unavoidable which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and can also be used to amend soil thereby increasing drought tolerance, improving soil structure and health and reducing need for water and fertilizers.

• Recycling reduces waste sent to landfills and incinerators.
• Recycling prevents pollution.
• Recycling conserves natural resources.
• Recycling conserves energy.
• Recycling creates jobs, producing economic benefits.

Our kitchens use WasteWatch powered by Leanpath systems. This allows our culinary teams to monitor and track our food waste while we prepare your meals. By using Leanpath, we are able to easily identify causes of food waste in real-time and make necessary adjustments to our procedures to help combat food waste.

• 100% recycled paper napkins in XprssNap Dispensers to encourage guests to take few napkins.
• FiltaFry - Recycling thousands of pounds of waste oil into biodiesel every year.
  
• Reusable dishware
• Trayless Dining
• Green certified cleaning supplies
• Bulk condiments
• On/Off protocols for our equipment
• Energy Star appliances
• FSU Named #17 in the top 50 Eco-Friendly, Affordable Colleges in the US - Our campus has been recognized as a leader in energy conservation and sustainability and tuition affordability according to PRNewswire. Dining Services is proud to have contributed to the overall campus wide sustainability program.