The WUR is reviewing its catering and is investigating which arrangement fits best the wishes of the WUR and its students and staff members. The current contract with Albron ends in 2012.
With this manifesto we want to support a strategic choice for the provision of healthy and sustainable food within the new contract of WUR food catering.
Catering at WUR
Wageningen UR (University & Research centre) “operates within the domain of healthy food and the living environment to improve the quality of life”. According to the mission, the WUR is “committed to contribute to the current challenges of this time, such as the availability of enough healthy and safe food, dealing with climate change and developing sustainable energy supplies”. This includes a responsibility to deliver healthy, diverse and tasty food for its students and staff members. Canteens are ‘public spaces’ (within the confines of the WUR), where facilities are provided to both Dutch and international students and staff members of the WUR. Canteens are places where students and staff come together to have an enjoyable lunch which fits their dietary standards. Good food improves people’s health and also contributes to a better working environment, enhances social interaction and puts the WUR values of food quality and sustainability into practice.
Among staff and students there is the feeling that current food services need improvement. Signs of this are the use of alternatives options like Chinese and Italian take-away, the high number of lunches brought from home, in the Eat-ins that are being held where staff and students come together to eat food they have made themselves. Chances for improvement lie in adapting to the current wishes and needs of students and staff through a form of catering which reflects the values of the WUR as expressed by its ‘quality of life’ slogan.
Sustainability in practice
The availability of healthy food is paramount to a good standard of the WUR’s working and studying environment. Research shows that people do not eat sufficient amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables. Eating these at lunch at work/school can greatly help daily intake levels. This means that a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables should be available. And of course, taste is important!
The type of food on offer should fit the needs and food cultures of students and staff. Since many come from outside The Netherlands we plea for the provision of warm meals (other than soup) of good variety and taste including a vegetarian warm meal option. Warm meals should not contain artificial additives, only natural ingredients, and a large portion of vegetables (eg. no highly processed, sugar and high salt containing sauces).
In order to contribute to sustainability fruit and vegetables should be seasonal as much as possible, and/or organic where possible. Seasonality, and local/regional sourcing are ways to provide organic food more cheaply.
It’s possible!
There are numerous examples of innovative caterers who succeed in providing healthy, tasty and sustainable food at a reasonable price. These examples should be looked at and learned from. Food professionals who know how to provide a good quality service, can be consulted in order to realize this. Catering of tasty seasonal and organic food is something which requires specific knowledge and skills. This includes how to realize sustainability goals in procurement procedure.
WUR food policy
Good food should be seen as an integral part of the facilities for WUR students and staff. The setting up of the tendering and contract lending procedure should be transparent. It is important to involve representatives of students and members of staff in the setting up of new contracts. The WUR’s vision on food services and the practical ways in which these will be met should be available on the internet and communicated broadly in order to generate more support for the efforts the WUR takes in sustainable procurement.
The initiators:
Ina Horlings and Petra Derkzen, Rural Sociology Group
Elizabeth Sargant, Environmental Policy Group
Please support this manifesto by sending a mail before the end of June to lummina.horlings@wur.nl
With the following text:
Yes, I support this manifest for the provision of healthy and sustainable food catering:
Name: …………………………... Organisation:………………………..... Position: ………………………
