Sustainability
SUSTAINABLE HOSPITALITY
LOWER IMPACT HOSPITALITY
At Campus Food and Drink, we are committed to providing high-quality service and products with minimum impact on the environment.
In September 2023, we opened a new café in the Student Hub building at the Riddel Hall campus. In an effort to reduce our impact we introduced a ‘No single use cup’ policy. Working with Dublin-based ‘2GoCup’, the café operates a loan cup scheme, where customers purchase a reusable cup alongside their coffee. They can keep this cup and use it for their next purchase or return it for a refund. Within the first four months of opening we diverted over 5,545 single use cups from the waste stream!
When possible, any saveable food items are donated to the Pantry in One Elmwood. The Pantry is a free refill station run by the Student’s Union in conjunction with the University to help mitigate the impact of the cost of living crisis on students.
LOCALLY SOURCED PRODUCE
At Campus Food & Drink, we’re passionate about sourcing the very best produce from local suppliers for our kitchens. As much as possible, we source produce locally and from the island of Ireland. Currently, we use:
North Down – Fresh fruit & vegetables
Bewley’s – Fairtrade tea and coffee
Carnbrooke Meats – Beef, pork, lamb & poultry
Elmore seafood – Fresh fish & seafood
Hugh Jordan – Crockery, cutlery & glassware
2GoCup – Reusable coffee cup
United Wines – Fine wines, beers & spirits
Yellow Door – Breads and patisserie
Neary Nogs – Handmade, stone ground chocolate
Bunzl McLaughlin – ECOLAB chemicals
Alliance – Compostable disposables
WE ARE A FAIRTRADE UNIVERSITY
Campus Food & Drink are committed to promoting and providing as many Fairtrade products as possible in our hospitality offering.
Working with various key stakeholders across the University, we are proud to say we are a Fairtrade-certified University. The Fairtrade committee meets on a regular basis.
As part of that commitment, we also raise, organise and run events and fundraisers to raise awareness of Fairtrade with colleagues and staff. Recent events have included the Fairtrade Coffee Morning at Riddel Hall and a Pancake Demonstration with the Great Hall chefs using Fairtrade products.
Find out more about Fairtrade at Queen's.Eating Seasonably
Food harvested and consumed at its peak is fresher and packs a bigger nutrient-rich punch than produce - which must be transported across the globe before it makes its way to your plate.
Purchasing locally grown food and produce helps directly support local farmers and your local community. Money spent locally often stays locally, reinvested in the local economy and supply chains, bolstering the local economy. Eating seasonally is often better value for the consumer with fewer requirements for packaging and transportation from far-flung destinations.
By reducing the distance your food must travel before it makes its way to your kitchen, you are playing a part in reducing its food miles and the level of carbon emissions it puts out into the atmosphere.
No excuse for single use!
Use the map below to find where you can refill your bottle on campus and help us reduce the number of plastic bottles being used.
Water fountains or coolers are found in the following locations:
Here are a few other things Campus Food & Drink currently do to increase our sustainable approach to hospitality:
- A full range of vegetarian & vegan options are available to order for all events and meetings, as well as banqueting options.
- All our menus are printed on recycled paper and placed on reusable cards.
- All main site and Riddel Hall events are served using reusable crockery and cutlery unless requested otherwise.
- As much as possible, we use seasonal produce and source our ingredients from local suppliers.
- Fairtrade tea, coffee and sugar are used at all meetings and events.
- Water filters are installed in the Great Hall and Riddel Hall, providing freshly filtered still and sparkling water.
- This allows us to use reusable water bottles to provide water for meetings and events.
- The majority of our disposable items are all compostable and are collected for composting along with our food waste. This includes our branded paper cups, plates, napkins, disposable cutlery, and water tumblers.
- For large conferences, we have replaced disposable/recyclable cups with a reusable crockery or 2GoCup alternative.
- Any food waste generated is collected and sent for industrial composting locally, facilitated by River Ridge.
- We have a sustainable food policy and a waste reduction policy, both of which are reviewed on a regular basis.
- We reduce and recycle as much waste as possible following University guidelines.
- We are working with the Estates department to move away from reliance on gas in our kitchens. When possible, any new equipment purchased is powered by electricity from a renewable source.
- Water-saving devices have been installed throughout our facilities to reduce our water consumption.
- We use ECOLABs chemicals to reduce water usage, waste generation and energy requirements associated with hygiene and cleaning.
The first Reusable Cup Washer in Northern Ireland at Junction
As part of their commitment to reducing the use of single-use coffee/tea cups, Junction Cafe has installed the first Reusable Cup Washer in Northern Ireland. Customers can now clean their own reusable cups effortlessly and hygienically before each use at the café.
Junction is also promoting the use of reusable cups by offering a discount when customers bring their own reusable cup.
Clements and Hope Cafe
Northern Ireland’s largest chains of local, independently-owned Coffee Shops
Clements (and Hope Cafe) are one of Northern Ireland’s largest chains of local, independently-owned Coffee Shops and they're committed to providing sustainable products without compromising on quality.
Clements source all products and ingredients from local suppliers and businesses and ensure that all their waste is processed sustainably.
Read more Read lessWe are proud of how far we come on our sustainability journey but are always open to discussing new ideas and concepts; please get in touch if you would like to discuss an idea with the team.