From food miles to food waste, the out of home foodservice sector has a myriad of sustainability challenges to contend with at every stage in the supply chain, starting from the way in which ingredients are grown or sourced, right through to the way that produce is served to customers or packaged for takeaway, and how the inevitable waste is dealt with.
Five years ago, the Footprint Awards were established to celebrate the businesses and individuals leading the way on sustainability within the foodservice and hospitality sector, with the aim of driving best practice and raising standards across the industry. This year, a wide range of organisations were recognised, ranging from small start-ups such as Simply Cups, the UK’s only paper cup collection and recycling service, to global giants such as Tate & Lyle Sugars, which received an award for the positive impact it has delivered for sugar cane farmers and their communities in developing countries.
Growing Underground, an innovative carbon-neutral organisation that uses hydroponics and LED technology to grow micro greens and salad leaves in disused tunnels below the streets of Clapham, shared the Community Vote Award with The Keel Row, a pub and restaurant near Whitley Bay in Northumberland. As well as supporting several local charities, the landlady runs a free community bus service, which picks up elderly people from local care homes and brings them to the pub for lunches and bingo evenings.
Chef, writer and broadcaster, Allegra McEvedy MBE won the Special Achievement Award for her commitment to ethical sourcing and her work to champion Fairtrade. Described by The Independent as “a caterer with a conscience”, McEvedy co-founded the healthy fast food restaurant group LEON, has worked with Chartwells to introduce healthy, nutritious meals on university campuses, has been Patron of the Fairtrade Foundation since 2012 and also supports the work of Compassion in World Farming and The Food Chain, a charity that delivers hot meals to people with HIV and AIDS.
Commenting on the range of businesses that were recognised with awards, Charles Miers, managing director of Footprint, said this demonstrated the “wonderful efforts” being made across the industry and that “even small businesses can make a big impact.”
Footprint Awards 2015 winners
Sustainable Use of Natural Resources Award
Winner: Wyke Farms
Runner-up: Smith Anderson Group
Waste Management & Reduction Award
Winner: Winnow
Runner-up: Simply Cups
Environmentally Efficient Logistics Award
Winner: Kuehne+Nagel
Runner-up: Greggs
Runner-up: Bidvest 3663
Responsible Sourcing Award
Winner: Pret A Manger
Runner-up: Nestlé Professional
Sustainable Supplier Award
Winner: Brita Professional
Runner-up: Johnsons Stalbridge
Energy Efficiency Award
Winner: Spirit Pub Company in association with Total and Inenco
Runner-up: Wyke Farms
Sustainable Equipment Manufacturer Award
Winner: Gram UK
Runner-up: Winterhalter
Stakeholder Engagement Award
Winner: WRAP
Runner-up: Sodexo UK & Ireland for WasteLESS Week
Sustainable Innovation in Packaging Award
Winner: Delta Packaging
Runner-up: Huhtamaki
Social Impact & Diversity Award
Winner: Tate & Lyle Sugars
Runner-up: Innocent Drinks
Sustainability in Education Award
Winner: Harper Adams University
Runner-up: University of Reading
2015 Community Vote Award
Joint winner: Growing Underground, Clapham, London
Joint winner: The Keel Row, near Whitley Bay, Northumberland
Runner-up: The Yews, Leicester
2015 Special Achievement Award
Winner: Allegra McEvedy MBE, Patron of the Fairtrade Foundation
Runner-up: Dr Richard Swannell, WRAP
Content on this page is paid for and provided by Fairtrade Foundation, sponsor of the spotlight on commodities series
