Glasgow Caledonian University`s commitment to sustainability extends to the provision of food on campus and here you’ll find details of practical actions the University is taking to deliver on this commitment.
Sustainable Food Policy
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Glasgow Caledonian’s Sustainable Food Policy translates our sustainability commitments into the on-campus food offering, which is outsourced to BaxterStorey . The primary mechanism for monitoring and reporting on progress implementing the SFP will be through "Food for Life Served Here" certification of on-campus catering operations.
To read our previous food policies, see links below:
Sustainable Food Policy
Sustainable Food Policy - Implementation Plan - June 2023 (May 2024 update)
Food for Life Served Here
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Food for Life Served Here is a certification scheme operated by the Soil Association that verifies that food served by caterers demonstrates a commitment to climate, nature, and health. It encourages the use of local, seasonal as well as organic ingredients and ensuring that at least 75% of meals are freshly prepared on site. In March 2025, Glasgow Caledonian University and BaxterStorey, the University's catering partners, achieved Food for Life Served Here Silver certification [FF27549], making GCU the first further education institution to receive the silver award .
Fairtrade
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GCU has a longstanding commitment to Fairtrade. It was first accredited as a Fairtrade University in 2012, and in partnership with GCU Students' Association has achieved a two-Star Fairtrade University Award in the 2022-24 cohort of the Fairtrade Universities and Colleges Award.
Students and staff can engage with Fairtrade in multiple different ways, from purchasing Fairtrade drinks and food on campus to volunteering to be a Fairtrade Auditor. Find out more about Fairtrade on campus here .
Community Food
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In November 2019, third-year students of Glasgow Caledonian's BSc (Hons) Environmental Management established the University’s "Forest for the Future and Urban Orchard" by planting over 100 trees through the Woodland Trust’s the Big Climate Fightback .
Amongst the trees planted were 20 apple, cherry, pear, plum and quince trees that form the heart of the Urban Orchard with students, staff and visitors to Campus invited to help themselves to any fruit (which is also used on the on-campus catering offer).
Additional fruit trees are planned as part of the University’s new biodiversity plan with the aspiration that members of the public can help themselves to fruit.
Alternatives to single-use disposable cups
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The University's caterers add a 20p charge on the purchase of any hot drink served in a single-use disposable cup. The charge replaces the 10p discount originally introduced in 2014. that's because initiatives ran by Zero waste Scotland have shown that charges are more effective than discounts at fostering behaviour change.
Alternatives to single-use takeaway food containers
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As part of its commitment to reducing avoidable waste at the Glasgow Caledonian University, our catering partner BaxterStorey charges 30p for every hot meal purchased to take away in a single-use, disposable container. Meals purchased using re-useable containers or crockery is exempt from the 30p charge. Find out more about re-using food containers on campus .
Student Projects - Sustainable Food
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Find out more about student projects exploring sustainable food at Glasgow Caledonian.
Sustainable diets and meat consumption (2019) :The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge and attitudes of staff, students and others who use the restaurant at the University, towards sustainable diets and meat consumption.
Free Water
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The University provides free water through a network of water fountains across the campus (including catering outlets).
