Environmental policy

Sustainable food policy

All in Hand Catering London recognises its responsibility to carry out its procurement activities in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. We will strive to incorporate environmental and social considerations into our product and service selection process. We recognise that it is our responsibility to encourage our suppliers and contractors to minimise negative environmental and social effects associated with the products and services they provide.

We will also strive to ensure that local and smaller suppliers are not discriminated against in the procurement process and specifications. Specifically we aim to:

• Give preference to products and services that can be manufactured, used, and disposed of in an environmentally and socially responsible way.

• Ensure that sustainability criteria are included in specifications to suppliers.

• Ensure that sustainability criteria are used in the award of contracts.

• Consider whole life costs when assessing product suitability and in the award of contracts.

• Encourage internal purchasers to review their consumption of goods and materials in order to reduce usage.

• Enhance employee awareness of relevant environmental and social effects of purchases through appropriate training exercises.

• Provide guidance and relevant product information to staff members to allow them to select sustainable products and services.

• Ensure non-discrimination against local and smaller suppliers.

To allow us to meet our aims we will:

• Develop clear objectives, with all our stakeholders, backed up by detailed targets, to minimise the environmental and social effects associated with the products and services we purchase.

• Identify the mechanisms that we intend to use to incorporate environmental and social factors into our product selection process.

• Develop performance indicators and evaluation criteria to measure our progress.

• Clearly specify the role that purchasing officers will play in the identification and selection of sustainable products and services.

• Identify and implement necessary changes to the procurement process and specifications to ensure non-discrimination against local and smaller suppliers.

In order to implement the sustainable food policy we will:

• Review all our objectives annually and continually monitor our targets.

• Comply with all related legislation.

• Strive to continually improve our targets and increase the scope of issues covered.

• Promote a preventative approach to nutrition-related health problems by providing food that meets healthy eating guidelines.

• Aim to support small scale, regional, sustainable agriculture.

• Use all resources, including water and energy, as efficiently as possible.

• Dispose of waste in ways which minimise the impacts upon the environment

• Actively co-operate with food suppliers and other sectors on sustainable food issues. 

• Communicate the policy to all employees, patients and visitors and consult them on the quality of meals provided.

We aim to provide food that is:

• fresh, nutritious and tastes good;

• as unprocessed and unadulterated as possible;

• produced to high animal welfare standards;

• certified organic whenever possible

• grown, produced and packaged in a manner that is less detrimental to the environment;

• free from genetic modification;

• not produced or distributed by the exploitation of workers.

Animal welfare
We will ensure that all meat and poultry and dairy produce has been produced according to Assured Farm Produce standards and that all eggs are free range and from cage-free hens. As evidence of meeting the production criteria, the food supplied must carry the Red Tractor logo or other admissible label, or through other admissible evidence.

Artificial food additives
We will aim to ensure that artificial food additives (including artificial flavourings, colourings, sweeteners, emulsifiers and preservatives) are minimised or eliminated in the food provided.

GM food
Will ensure that all food has not been genetically modified and all meals do not contain any genetically modified ingredients.

Sustainable fish
We will aim to ensure that all seafood provided comes from sustainable sources in which harvesting is conducted in a manner that does not lead to over-fishing or depletion of the exploited populations. Any suppliers of seafood will be required to provide evidence of meeting these requirements, such as a Marine Stewardship Council label or other admissible evidence.

Healthy eating
In order to meet healthy eating guidelines all meals will contain at least two portions of vegetables at least two types of fresh fruit will be available everyday.

Fairtrade
We will aim to provide a range of fair trade certified goods including tea, coffee and other products model sustainable food policy.

Food labelling

We will ensure that all food/meals are appropriately labelled, for example;

• Ingredients

• Country of origin

• Minimum meat content

• Best before/Use by dates

• Nutritional information

• Allergy alerts 

• Suitability for people of particular religions or ethical persuasions

• Product code and batch number

Packaging of goods

We will ask our suppliers to keep packaging to a minimum, but sufficient to ensure that goods supplied are protected in transit and arrive in good condition, including;

• Maximum supply of food in bulk

• Maximum use of reusable containers

• Maximum recuperation and re-use of packaging material

• Maximum use of recycled or biodegradable packaging

• We will provide reusable cutlery and crockery;

Menu development service

We will develop menus and recipes following the guiding principles and requirements outlined below:

• Health and nutrition We will provide good quality, safe, nutritionally balanced meals and beverages in compliance with healthy eating guidelines.

• Seasonality We will provide menus and recipes based on seasonal availability.

Local availability

We will take account of the local availability of food when developing menus.

Sustainable products We will take account of sustainability considerations when developing the menus and to use sustainable products in the meals where specified.

Ethnic, religious, and ethical requirements We will provide food/meals which meet the ethnic, religious, and ethical needs of the consumer.