Balancing sustainability in partnership with St. George's School.

Sustainability has become a focus for not only Sodexo but the SGS community as well. We recognize that we have a responsibility to use our resources wisely and to protect them for future generations. Here at SGS and on campuses around the country, Sodexo is committed to developing and measuring ways to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, to conserve water, promote responsible waste management and reduce the use of toxic chemicals. Here are just a few of the things we are doing on the SGS Campus:

Did you know that our Director of Foodservices worked with boys of the SGS Community Leadership Program to create their passion project, now called Shellevate. Please check our the boys website at www.shellevate.com. We are so proud that our eggshells are being diverted out of waste and used for fertilizer for the Community Garden Builders which have approximately 950 community gardens around the BC lower mainland! The eggshells are also great for making chalk which is the next project coming up for the boys!

Diversion Provider

Here at SGS we are a proud partner with the company Revolution. Revolution is the 1 company on the lower mainland that diverts our waste properly and will actually take and sort all of our garbage, recycling, and composte at their facility to make sure it is diverted properly. Did you know that compostable plastic-looking containers are not accepted by most waste providers. Therefore your compostable items are stuck in garbage bags and in the landfill and never see oxygen- the one thing these product need to break down and therefore are just considered regular garbage. Revolution will make sure these items will break down as they should.

Xpress Nap

Xpress Nap Dispensers save energy and waste. Not only are the napkins made of 100% recycled paper, the dispensers encourage customers to take (and waste) fewer napkins. Energy is saved because less power is used to recycle paper products than to create them from virgin material.

Trayless

Tray less dinning reduces the amount of water and detergent used, saves energy and reduces food wastage. For 2020 2021 school year both the junior school and senior school campus went fully trayless! This saved 1140 trays per day and meant less chemicals were used, less energy was used to wash, less water was waste.

ON/OFF Protocol

We save energy by turning equipment on and off only as needed. Our offices and change rooms have now been changes to automatic shut off lighting when not in use.

Composting

Food waste in landfills creates methane, a greenhouse gas which is 21x more potent than CO2. Our first priority is to reduce food waste. We compost food waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also to enhance and amend soil health by improving soil structure, enhancing micro-organism content, increasing drought tolerance and reducing need for water and fertilizers. We now use revolution company to pick up all of our compost and we don't even have to use compost bags anymore- it can all be dumped straight into the collection bin outside

Sustainable Seafood

Through Sodexo’s Better Tomorrow Plan we are committed to having 100% of all contracted seafood sustainability sourced to eliminate all “at Risk” species from our menus. Read more about our company's sustainability policies at www.tomorrowstarts2day.com.

Cage Free Eggs

We have shifted all our shell eggs to cage free sources. This shift is part of our Better Tomorrow Plan commitment to sustainability raised products.

Earth Water

Gone are the days of plastic bottled water! We have switched to the new Canadian owned Earth Water from the Earth Group. This water checks almost all of the boxes when it comes to being a responsible citizen. It was started by two men in Edmonton who travelled and saw all of vulnerable countries in the world. They exist ENTIRELY to provide school meals around the world with their partnership with the UN's global the World Food Programme. This means that 100% of their profits go to feeding the children in schools. It is in a reusable aluminum can that can be recycled and contains 70% recycled product which is 3x more than a glass or plastic bottle.

Partnership with Humane Society International

Sodexo has partnered with Humane Society International where our onsite chefs have made a pledge to stay on the trend of the 50 future foods and promote Plant Based Food by contuining to provide daily plant based options and having 1 day a week plant based menus. Also to educate the community of the social responsibility and how plant based menus contributes to this.

Sodexo's pledge

Pledge to reduce Sodexo emissions by 34% by 2025!

Stop Hunger

Not only is SGS's Director of Foodservices on the board of the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, but the SGS foodservices team also participates in multiple activities to bring the attention to vulnerable and hunger children around the country. They have partnered with the Breakfast Club of Canada to help keep this conversation going by joining fitness challenges and by promoting special days such as Earth Day.

Partnership with the Breakfast Club of Canada

Sodexo has partneships with the Breakfast Club of Canada to help bring awareness to vulnerable children around our country and even in our province of BC. Breakfast Club of Canada provides a breakfast to these students so that they can concentrate at school with their bellies full of nutritious food and have the same learning oppotunities as their friends and peers.

Grounds For Growth

At SGS we save 100% of our coffee grounds after we brew coffee at both the junior school and senior school. Staff, Faculty and Students are able to pick up any of these grounds to use for their gardens at home for excellent fertilizer! Also makes great ant repellent!

BSI Bio

Did you know that our items packaged on sites are biodegradable or compostable? From take out salad bowls to our our Boba/Bubble Tea straws and cups. We use a company named BSI Bio for all of our packaging! Check them out here! Bsibio.com

WasteWatch program powered by Leanpath. This is an automated food waste tracking and analytics platform, we set goals, measure, analyze, optimize and empower to prevent food waste in the upstream. The benefits for Notre Dame is enhanced carbon footprint, engagement and prevents food waste resulting in reduced greenhouse emissions.