Sustainable Public Procurement of School Catering Services: A good practice report

A great many European schools and local authorities are developing innovative and interesting ways to improve the sustainability of their catering services. Catering companies are also becoming ever more aware of the importance of sustainability, and the growing demands of their customers. New business models and eco-innovative products are making sustainable school catering easier, achievable and more affordable. This report is structured around a brief overview of the key problem areas which local authorities looking to procure more sustainable catering services find themselves faced with. For each problem area, we have put forward a range of ideas and practical solutions that have been tried by different cities and schools across Europe. More in-depth case studies look at eco-innovative approaches being taken to the procurement of school catering services in Turin (Italy), Copenhagen (Denmark), Malmö (Sweden) and East Ayrshire (UK). Within this publication, we have chosen to keep as closely as possible to areas which are directly related to public procurement. The report does not go into detail about social and educational aspects and doubtless leaves out a number of initiatives that, whilst important in the greater debate surrounding school food, are not impacted by procurement activities.