farmer checking on his crops

Social & Environmental Responsibility

We believe in creating dining experiences that not only satisfy appetites but also nourish communities and respect our planet.

Our focus is to serve food that delights and sustains, while making better choices about sourcing, preparation, and service. We empower our team members to take pride in their communities and the people they serve. 

Simply put, we're doing good – good for students, good for the planet, and good for the future.

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Reducing Food Waste

Around one-third of the world’s food goes to waste and we’re on a mission to reduce and redirect as much as possible, keeping it out of landfills and transforming it into something that feeds our people and our environment.

Our kitchen teams are working smarter to create less waste in production, recover food through creative recipes, and redirect the best to feed our communities through donation and the rest to feed the soil through compost.

adding food to a compost bin

Sourcing Sustainably

“Better food from the ground up” is our commitment to continuously evolve practices and processes to better meet the needs of our partners, our students, and our planet. We support and source ingredients and paper products that are grown, raised, and produced with as positive an environmental and social impact as possible.

From locally grown produce to reusable or compostable take-out containers and so much more, we’re building campus dining programs that get better every day.

farmer holding fresh Batavia lettuce

Climate-Friendly Menus

Eating toward a healthier planet is a growing movement and we’re all about making low carbon plant-based food just as tasty and satisfying as your go-to favorites. Our chefs, dietitians, and managers are teaming up with partners like Humane World for Animals to create bold new recipes, hands-on culinary training, and exciting promotions that make it easier (and more delicious) to choose plant-forward.

plate full of fresh vegetables

Strengthening Communities

Working together really is the best way to make a difference. We show up for our communities in a lot of ways, but making sure students have access to good food is a big priority on campus. 

Food insecurity doesn’t always look the same, but it has a real impact: it holds people back, affects their health, and creates barriers that don’t need to be there. We’re tackling it with simple, respectful solutions like food pantries, recovery programs, and alerts that connect people to available meals, no questions asked. It’s pretty simple: when food is easier to access, people can focus on what really matters.

volunteers working at a food bank