No hunger

The University measures the amount of food waste generated from food served. The University has recently segregated Food Waste from the central campus kitchen. ReFood UK collect food waste weekly and transport it to their anaerobic digestion plant in Doncaster. Since catering services reopened in 2021, an average of 1,001kg of food waste has been diverted from incineration each month.

We respond effectively to hunger among students, providing appropriate support to ensure need is met. This manifested in particularly acute ways during the lockdowns resulting from the Covid19 pandemic, and the University responded by providing welfare packs of food and other necessities for students who were in difficult circumstances while self-isolating.

The University provides sustainable food choices for all on campus, including vegetarian and vegan food. The University continues to be listed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation as one of the UK’s most vegan-friendly universities, saying: ‘The University of Huddersfield’s Veggie Hut opened its doors as a vegetarian café in 2019, quickly became a favourite on campus, and has now gone fully vegan. Its menu includes delights like blueberry croissants, vegan cheese toasties, and “fish” and chips made with banana blossom. Most of the eateries on campus have gone beef-free, and all have expanded their vegan offerings.’

The University engages more widely with sustainability in the food supply chain, for example supporting a project with farmers locally in the Holme Valley area, which considers land use and is associated with the Kirklees Climate Commission.