Climate Friendly Food Systems Procurement Guidelines

This page provides campus-wide procurement guidelines applicable to all UBC food providers. These guidelines are one of many actions the university has committed to take, in order to meet the targets of UBC's Climate Action Plan 2030.


 

These Climate-Friendly Food System Procurement Guidelines represent one of many bold actions the university has committed to help achieve UBC's Climate Action Plan (CAP) 2030 commitments. CAP sets a target by 2030 to achieve a 50% reduction of food systems Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.  

UBC’s Food emissions represent approximately 21% of overall campus GHG emissions and 31% of extended impact emissions, and may become the largest category as the other UBC emissions sources reduce. UBC is uniquely positioned to make significant positive impacts in Climate Action by virtue of its immense population as the second largest Canadian university by student enrollment, as the largest Canadian student housing provider, and by its sheer food purchasing power.  

The Climate-Friendly Food System Procurement Guidelines serve as a critical roadmap that provide direction on how the university can:

  1. Reduce food GHG emissions
  2. Promote biodiverse, resilient and regenerative food systems
  3. Support just, sovereign and resilient communities. 

 

CFFS
Click image to enlarge. 

 

 

Goal: Reduce Food Greenhouse Gas Emissions 

Click the drop down below for detailed guidelines related to this goal.

  • Conduct a GHG baseline assessment of ruminant animal products (e.g. beef, lamb, bison, water buffalo, goat) purchased and included in menus with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish reduction targets for ruminant purchases and menu design, In alignment with the CAP 2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan. 
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to meet targets for reducing ruminant animal products purchased:
    • Substitute beef and lamb products with climate-friendly alternatives.
    • Replace or eliminate other ruminant meat products with climate-friendly alternatives. 
    • Develop, implement, and promote CFFS Engagement Events related to Ruminant Animal Products Reduction 
    • For high-profile campus events, replace ruminant meat products with climate-friendly alternatives as part of a broader CFFS Event Protocol. 
  • Conduct a GHG baseline assessment of dairy products purchased and included in menus with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish reduction targets for dairy purchases and menu design in alignment with the CAP 2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan. 
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to meet targets for reducing dairy products purchased:
    • Replace dairy products with climate-friendly alternatives. 
    • Develop, implement, and promote CFFS Engagement Events related to Dairy Products Reduction 
    • For high-profile campus events, replace cow dairy products with climate-friendly alternatives as part of a broader CFFS Event Protocol . 
    • Incentivize the use of plant-based milk options and discourage the use of dairy milk options for beverage products by sourcing bulk plant-milk equipment's. 
  • Conduct a baseline assessment of other Carbon Intensive food products purchased and included in menus with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish reduction targets for other Carbon Intensive food products purchases and menu design, including a cap allowance, in alignment with the CAP 2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan. 
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to meet targets for reducing other Carbon Intensive food products purchased:
    • Substitute other Carbon Intensive food products with Lower Carbon Intensive Food Products. 
    • Reduce Carbon Intensive Grains Products and replace by Climate-Friendly Grains Products which appear to be more sustainable options, according to scientific experts. 
    • Reduce Carbon Intensive Seafood Products and replace them with climate-friendly seafood alternative.
    • Develop, implement, and promote CFFS Engagement Events related to other Carbon Intensive food products Reduction 
  • Conduct a GHG baseline assessment of non-ruminant Animal Products purchased and included in menus with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish reduction targets for non-ruminant Animal Products purchases and menu design, including a cap allowance, in alignment with the CAP 2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan.
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to meet targets for reducing non-ruminant Animal products purchased:
    • Replace or eliminate non-ruminant Animal Products with climate-friendly alternatives. 
  • Conduct a baseline assessment of suppliers focusing on innovative approaches to reduce food waste and/or suppliers who provide a written disclosure of their internal food waste management and food recovery policies with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish purchasing targets for focusing on innovative approaches to reduce food waste and/or suppliers who provide a written disclosure of their internal food waste management and food recovery policies with primary campus food providers, in alignment with the CAP 2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan.
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to meet targets for reducing food waste and food packaging in procurement practices:
    • Increase suppliers focusing on turning food waste into new, valuable products, emphasizing sustainability and innovation, and/or suppliers who provide a written disclosure of their internal food waste management and food recovery policies. 
    • Develop, implement, and promote CFFS Engagement Events related to Food Waste Reduction 
    • Reduce purchases of frequently wasted and over-packaged food items. 
  • Conduct a baseline assessment of Carbon Intensive Food preparation and Storage Equipment with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish purchasing targets for suppliers focusing on low Carbon Food Preparation and Storage Equipment, in alignment with the CAP 2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan. 
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to meet targets for reducing Carbon Intensive Food Preparation and Storage Equipment in procurement practices:
    • Prioritize purchases of food preparation and storage Equipment that use less energy and other natural resources (e.g water, materials) when current equipment reached end of life.
  • Conduct a baseline assessment of Emissions Associated with Food Transportation [in procurement practices] with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish purchasing targets for suppliers focusing on reducing emissions in procurement practices associated with food transportation, in alignment with the CAP 2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan. 
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to meet targets for reducing emissions in procurement practices associated with food transportation  practices.

Goal: Promote Biodiverse, Resilient & Regenerative Food Systems 

Click the drop down below for detailed guidelines related to this goal.

  • Conduct a baseline assessment of biodiversity-friendly food products purchased and included in menus with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish purchasing and menu design targets for biodiversity-friendly food products in alignment with the CAP2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan. 
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to increase the incorporation of biodiversity-friendly food products:
    • Replace high-priority items causing significant negative environmental impacts with biodiversity-friendly alternatives 
    • Develop, implement, and promote CFFS Engagement Events related to Biodiversity-Friendly Food Products.
  • Conduct a baseline assessment of Local Food Products (seasonal and non-seasonal) purchased and included in menus with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish purchasing and menu design targets for Local and Seasonal Food Products, in alignment with the CAP2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan. 
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to increase the incorporation of Local and Seasonal Food Products.

Goal: Support Just, Sovereign and Resilient Communities

Click the drop down below for detailed guidelines related to this goal.

  • Conduct a baseline assessment of suppliers with certified Ethical, Healthy and Safe labour practices and working environments with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish purchasing targets for products that have ethical, healthy and safe labour practices and working environments, in alignment with the CAP 2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan. 
  • Collaborate with Central Procurement to update the UBC Supplier Code of Conduct to reflect these new Climate-Friendly Food System (CFFS) guidelines.
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to increase the incorporation of certified Ethical, Healthy and Safe labour practices and working environments:
    • Replace high priority products that are not in compliance with provision of ethical, healthy and safe labour practices and working environments with suppliers that have supporting certifications or equivalent designation and/or business practices.
  • Conduct a baseline assessment of Equity Deserving and Indigenous Businesses and Suppliers who work with primary campus food providers.
  • Establish purchasing targets for Equity Deserving and Indigenous Businesses and Suppliers that align with the CAP2030 Food Target and the SHCS Sustainability Action Plan.
  • Identify and implement high-impact strategies to increase primary campus food providers collaboration with Equity Deserving and Indigenous Businesses and Suppliers.