Sustainable Food Communities in Northern Ireland

29 March 2012

The Northern Ireland Assembly has become the first organisation in the country to achieve the prestigious bronze Food for Life Catering Mark for all of the meals served in Parliament Buildings. [1]

The award will be announced at an event on 29 March 2012 to mark the launch of the Soil Association’s Sustainable Food Communities project in Northern Ireland.[2] The half-day conference, held at Parliament Buildings, will feature speakers and contributors covering the food chain from production to consumption, exploring the importance of local food provenance, the significance of vibrant food markets and the role of catering accreditation initiatives, amongst other themes.[3]

The achievement of the bronze Food for Life Catering Mark makes the Assembly the first legislative body in these islands to demonstrate the sustainability of the meals it serves to its Members, employees, visitors and the many dignitaries that dine there each year.

William Hay MLA, Speaker of the NI Assembly, who will make the award said:
“Our caterers at the Assembly, Eurest Services, submitted themselves to the rigorous examination of Soil Association inspectors earlier this year and I’m delighted to be able to announce that they have qualified for the bronze Catering Mark. This award makes the Assembly the very first organisation in Ireland, North or South, to achieve this standard. And I hope there will be many others ready to follow our leadership in supporting a thriving local food economy, based on fresh, local, seasonal and organic produce.”

Eurest Services, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, is a leading provider of catering and support services. Fiacra Nagle, Managing Director of Compass Group Ireland said, “Eurest Services is delighted to have achieved this award which demonstrates our ongoing commitment to sustainable sourcing. I am extremely proud of the great service we provide at the Northern Ireland Assembly, delivered by a great team of people. This team has worked hard to achieve this bronze Catering Mark and I want to congratulate them all on this success.”

Jim Kitchen, the Soil Association’s NI Project Manager said: “This commitment to serve food that’s good for people as well as being good for the planet is a real step forward. The Assembly is demonstrating its leadership in providing sustainable food; let’s see if some other public sector organisations can follow suit.”

Ends

For further information please contact:
Jim Kitchen, Sustainable Food Cities Northern Ireland Manager – 07926 359857 / jkitchen@soilassociation.org
Clio Turton, Soil Association press office manager - 0117 914 2448 / press@soilassociation.org

Notes to Editors:

[1] Food for Life Catering Mark menu criteria include:
Bronze

• Meals contain no undesirable food additives or hydrogenated fats
• 75% of dishes are freshly prepared
• Meat is from farms which satisfy UK welfare standards
• Eggs are from cage-free hens
• Menus are seasonal
• Training is provided for all catering staff
• No GM ingredients are used

Silver and gold
The silver and gold Catering Mark standards are assessed on a points system. Food providers are rewarded for every percentage point of their ingredient spend on items including organic and free range animal products, locally sourced ingredients and steps to offer healthier menus. The points system maintains rigorous principles for environmentally friendly, local and healthy food, yet offers flexibility to recognise food providers’ different strengths and priorities. Silver and gold Catering Mark holders must also meet the bronze standards.
http://www.sacert.org/Catering

[2] The Sustainable Food Cities Network is:
An alliance of public, private and third sector organisations that believe in the power of food as a vehicle for driving positive change and that are committed to promoting sustainable food for the benefit of people and the planet. The Network aims to help people and places to share challenges, explore practical solutions and develop best practice in all aspects of sustainable food.
http://www.soilassociation.org/sustainablefoodcities

[3] Sustainable Food Communities in Northern Ireland
The Sustainable Food Cities Network is an alliance of public, private and third sector organisations across the UK, including the Soil Association, that believe in the power of food as a vehicle for driving positive change and that are committed to promoting sustainable food for the benefit of people and the planet. And it is not just for cities. Any community can get involved - from a village or town to a district, county or region. The Sustainable Food Communities project in Northern Ireland will contribute to this UK-wide initiative.
For more information, visit http://www.soilassociation.org/news/newsstory/articleid/3169/sustainable-food-communities-in-northern-ireland

[4] The Food for Life Catering Mark
The Catering Mark is a unique scheme which recognises food providers who serve food which is fresh, free from controversial additives and better for animal welfare. The Catering Mark is open to all types of restaurants and caterers. The bronze, silver and gold tiers offer a step-by-step route to serving more freshly prepared, locally produced, seasonal and organic food. Caterers with the gold Catering Mark use a wide range of organic and locally produced ingredients. 533,000 Food for Life Catering Mark accredited meals are served per day - over 101 million per year.
http://www.sacert.org/catering

[5] About the Soil Association
The Soil Association was founded in 1946 by a group of farmers, scientists and nutritionists who observed a direct connection between the health of the soil, food, people and the environment. Today the Soil Association is the UK's leading membership charity campaigning for planet-friendly food and farming with around 27,000 members. Its certification subsidiary, Soil Association Certification Ltd, certifies over 80% of organic farming and food processing in the UK. http://www.soilassociation.org