Our sustainable values
From working with local suppliers to ditching plastic and preventing food waste, find out how we are building a sustainable future and contributing to better lives – both here at Sussex and around the world.
A sustainable future
Find out more about providing sustainable food on campus and check out our Sustainable Food and Agriculture Policy [PDF, 71KB].
Our main catering partner Chartwells regularly looks at ways to reduce its impact on the planet.
At Sussex Uni Food we evaluate all suppliers based on their sustainability and company ethics. Where possible we look to provide products with fair or direct trade, soil association or organic accreditation. We favour Certified B Corporation companies (businesses that meet standards defined by B Corps to balance profit and purpose).
We use local suppliers for most of the food, including Munneries for fruit and vegetable and Blakes for meat. We have also partnered with local Brighton businesses and include them in our food offer. Two examples of these kinds of businesses, both available on campus, are Redroaster and Malo Empanadas.
Chartwells is part of a bigger group that has made a climate commitment for 2030 – find out more about the Compass Group climate promise, including a 55% reduction in carbon footprint by 2025.
Sustainable ratings
We are proud to be a 3-star member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) since 2019. In our 2024 reassessment, we achieved a 92% score, placing us among the top 10 most sustainable food businesses worldwide.
In June 2023, Sussex Uni Food was awarded the U Dine Award for sustainability.
Ending food waste
We have been working in partnership with Too Good to Go for over a year and have saved more than 5,000 meals from the bin. Download the app, decide on your favourite food and go rescue it.
We have also partnered with Olio since 2019. Through this scheme, any unsold sandwiches, baguettes or toasties are collected by a volunteer and distributed in Brighton. More than 2,771 meals have been donated to date to 317 households and saving 5.020 tCO2e.
We also encourage sustainability at an individual level through our "Free coffee grounds for your plants" initiative. Students and staff are invited to collect coffee grounds from our cafes, providing them with a sustainable fertiliser for their plants or gardens. During 2024 we redistributed approximately 150 kg of coffee grounds (estimated carbon savings 6.75 tCO2e).
First to process food waste
In March 2020, the University of Sussex was the first higher education institution in the UK to install an aerobic digester – a bio processor that turns food waste into soil enricher.
The food and compostable waste produced around Bramber House (the centre of our catering operation) is processed through the machine and the contents are reduced by 75% during its 24-hour journey from food to substrate. The substrate can either be used as a soil enrichment source or a biomass fuel source.
Waste reduction commitment
The University embarked on a plastic-free pledge at the Attenborough Centre and has also completed the transition to plastic-free in the Conference Centre.
Across our cafes, we are reducing single-use waste by encouraging reusable alternatives. Our returnable cup scheme allows customers to borrow a reusable cup for a small fee and return it at any participating outlet on campus. This cuts down on disposable cups and helps build a culture of circular consumption. Students and staff are rewarded with discounts when they bring their own cup or choose the returnable option.
We're working towards wider plastic-free practices across all food outlets.
Getting wiser about water
Sponsoring water wells
We have sponsored the opening of three water wells, providing clean drinking water to people in Uganda and India.
This was made possible by our campus community buying Life Water from our shops and cafes. Life Water has a longstanding partnership with Drop4Drop to help run projects in developing countries.
Health, nutrition and affordability
Chartwells has a range of recipes analysed by expert nutritionists to confirm they meet high nutrition standards.
We believe sustainability should include accessibility. The Sussex Saver offers a hot, nutritious meal starting at just £2, available in our Eat Central restaurant. It is designed to support students during the cost-of-living crisis while ensuring that affordability does not compromise on nutrition or quality. Menus are created to reduce food waste and rely on sustainable ingredients wherever possible.