Accomplishments

• Full Time Employees, working at least 30 hours per week receive full benefits including affordable health care, free-wellness & health planning, counseling and discounts on fitness programs.
• Most meals in Higgins Café are plated for students, comprising of appropriate sized portions
• Spring 2011 – Introduction of the Nutritionist's Corner that provides access to one-on-one meetings with a nutritionist, a suggested menu for each meal with the benefits of your choices and a weekly newsletter on eating healthy.

Goals

• Fall 2011 – Plans to encourage education in healthy eating to children and parents of young children through invitations to Higgins Café for community families and informational sessions with local organizations
• We commit to educating the local community on healthy eating and fighting obesity.
• Employees will be encouraged to take advantage of the free benefits from Sodexo, including tuition reimbursement to upgrade their professional skills.

Accomplishments

• We assist our customers with pre-plated options that contain a balanced serving of protein, starch, and vegetable at several stations in Higgins Cafe.
• Fall 2009 – Began offering a freshly cut vegetable without oil or butter and a baked potato at all lunch, brunch and dinner meals.
• We offer a balanced selection of proteins, carbohydrates and vegetables.
• We have eliminated the use of processed vegetables and entrees through a scratch-based production method.

Goals

• We commit to purchasing more local produce whenever possible, providing a fresh and balanced choice to our guests.
• We will solicit international and domestic student input and participation in menus and recipes.

Accomplishments

• We do not cook with trans fats.
• 2010 - Introduced Hydration Station, water with fresh fruit/vegetable infusion @ Higgins Cafe
• 2010 - Meatless Monday in Higgins Café where a reduction in meatless options are offered
• Clark Dining only cooks with Kosher salt rather than iodized salt, which is less processed and requires less salt to be used as flavoring in recipes.
• 2009 – Began offering steamed vegetables without oil or butter on every lunch, brunch & dinner meal
• Menus identify vegan, vegetarian, nuts, pork, shellfish and gluten free
• Vegan and vegetarian options are offered at all meals

Accomplishments

• Over $200 cash per year is raised and donated to Rachel's Table through "Keep the Change" event held in the Bistro.
• Clark Dining Services donates all excess food and beverage to Rachel's Table.
• Through specially marked Jazzman's coffee purchases and retail tumblers, Clark Dining Services participates in Sodexo's Stop Hunger initiative. All money raised goes directly to Stop Hunger.

Goals

• We will enhance our already strong relationship with local food banks through volunteerism.
• We will commit to engaging with community members in educating them on healthy eating and fighting obesity with limited funds.

Accomplishments

• Clark Dining Services donated 529,065 pounds of food and milk in 2010. We will continue to donate all excess food and beverage to Rachel's Table, a food rescue service that feeds Worcester community members in need.
• Beginning in 2009 Clark Dining Services began parterning with Clark's Relay for Life team, donating food during kick-off events and during the annual Relay.

Goals

• Clark Dining Services commits to providing making change in the Main South Community through nutrition education and volunteering opportunities.
• Sodexo will provide value and enchance the lives of community members through outreach programs and employment.

Accomplishments

• Certified Fair Trade Coffee is offered at all dining locations

Goals

• We will increase the level of fair trade and responsibly certified products in our dining locations.

Accomplishments

• As a signatory of the UN Global Compact, Sodexo is committed to respect the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ILO Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. Sodexo further acknowledges and respects the ILO Tripartite Declaration of Principles concerning Multinational Enterprises and Social Policy, as well as the employment and industrial chapter of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. In order to ensure that our activities do not have a negative impact on the human rights of our stakeholders, we ask our suppliers to respect the principles of the core conventions of the ILO, along with other workplace rights principles.

Goals

• Clark Dining Services commits to ensuring compliance by all vendors to a Global Sustainable Supply Chain Code of Conduct by 2015.

Accomplishments

• Kittridge Equipment Supply (local company) will be conducting an audit of Dining Services' equipment to document current energy consumption use and to set future goals.

Goals

• We commit to minimizing and reducing our energy use in all dining operations.
• We commit to purchasing from vendors closest to Worcester whenever possible.
• We will train our employees on reducing energy use and how to conserve energy. Employees will be rewarded for new ideas/programs implemented and will join the Dining Green Team.

Accomplishments

• Fall 2008 – Produce is purchased from ACME Prepak, a local distributor in Worcester, MA that provides fruits & vegetables from local farms.
• Kittridge Equipment Supply (Natick, MA) is utilized to purchase large and medium equipment for Clark Dining Services
• Clark Dining Services supports the Massachusetts Farm to School Project and hosted their Spring meeting in 2009.
• 2008 – Began working with the Regional Environmental Council of Central MA
• We purchase only cage-free eggs

Goals

• We will commit more effort toward the Real Food Challenge.
• We commit to purchasing more local produce when in season and available.
• We will feature Harvest Meals during the academic year.

Accomplishments

• 2007: Installed Apex chemical delivery system reducing water usage by 20,000 gallons per year. Apex chemicals are packaged to reduce waste.
• 2009: Tray Free dining reduced water usage by 70,000 gallons per year
• Clark Dining Services reduces water waste by proper planning of product thawing by refrigeration instead of running water.
• Reduced water waste by removing garbage disposal from dining hall dish room.

Goals

• We will reduce bottled water consumption for catering events by serving pitchers when requested by clients.

Accomplishments

• We only serve fish and seafood listed as sustainable on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Fish List.
• Captain Marden Seafood (Wellesley, MA) provides fresh fish throughout the year

Goals

• It is our goal to have 50% of our fish and seafood purchases certified as sustainable by 2012 and 100% by 2015.

Accomplishments

• We do not cook with trans fats.
• 2010 - Introduced Hydration Station, water with fresh fruit/vegetable infusion @ Higgins Cafe
• 2010 - Meatless Monday in Higgins Café where a reduction in meatless options are offered
• Clark Dining only cooks with Kosher salt rather than iodized salt, which is less processed and requires less salt to be used as flavoring in recipes.
• 2009 – Began offering steamed vegetables without oil or butter on every lunch, brunch & dinner meal
• Menus identify vegan, vegetarian, nuts, pork, shellfish and gluten free
• Vegan and vegetarian options are offered at all meals

Accomplishments

• Small equipment is purchased from Kittridge Equipment, a local company from Natick, MA
• We support Green efforts by using bulk beverage dispensers when possible, reducing packaging waste.
• All disposable wares in the Bistro are biodegradable or recyclable.
• Clark Dining Services uses all Green Seal Certified Chemicals from Eco-Lab

Goals

• We commit to offering a sustainable catering menu and disposables.
• Catering events in the UC will utilize glass water glasses and coffee mugs instead of paper goods by Spring 2012.
• An assessment on all kitchen equipment will be conducted in order to analyze its efficiency
• We will provide incentives for bringing their own mugs for beverages

Accomplishments

• Clark Dining Services added a recylcables container in Summer 2011 and is now able to recyle all cans, plastic and glass from operations.
• Spring 2010 - Dining Services began utilizing Filta Fry to filter cooking oil, which extends the use time of the oil and reduces the amount of oil used throughout the year.

Goals

• We commit to working with vendors to reduce packaging of products.
• We will commit more to researching ways of disposing cooking oil that can be re-used.