BaxterStorey has today announced that the University of the Arts London (UAL) has been awarded Gold Standard accreditation from the Soil Association. The certification, which has been granted to the university for the fourth consecutive year, highlights the high standard of the catering services provided by the leading foodservice operator to 18,000 students.
During UAL’s detailed inspection by the Soil Association, all catering outlets were reviewed to ensure they met the highest standards of provenance and traceability, and that staff and students routinely received freshly prepared meals using environmentally sustainable and seasonal ingredients.
Soil Association Certification is the country’s leading organic certifier and offers a large range of organic and sustainable certification schemes across food, farming, catering, health and beauty, textiles and forestry.
The organisation helps foodservice operators to deliver sustainable catering by sourcing fresh, local and authentic ingredients. The Soil Association works with numerous sectors including B&I, event catering and higher education sites such UAL. Other BaxterStorey sites to hold the status include Burges Salmon and SAID Business School.
Following the audit, BaxterStorey was commended for the wide variety of organic and free-range ingredients used throughout UAL, as well as its focus on seasonality and the provenance of its meat. Working in partnership with BaxterStorey, UAL was the first university in the UK to receive Gold Standard accreditation from the Soil Association. Its inaugural award was first presented across the university’s catering outlets at all six of its colleges in 2014.
Associate Director of Catering, Retail and Accommodation Services, Jane Donachy commented: “Receiving Gold Standard accreditation from the Soil Association for the fourth consecutive year demonstrates how committed we are as a university to sustainability and the standard of food served across all our six college campuses. Together with BaxterStorey, we believe we set exceptionally high standards throughout our restaurants and lead the way in our commitment to provenance.”
BaxterStorey regional managing director Sarah Miller added: “Creating a sustainable business is at the core of what we do at BaxterStorey. We’re incredibly proud of all of our teams around the campus, who together with UAL, ensure our customers receive the finest food and drink possible in a sustainable and considered manner.”