University of Glasgow gains FFLSH Bronze
Congratulations to the catering team at the University of Glasgow, who have achieved the Food for Life Served Here (FFLSH) Bronze certification for serving food that’s good for health, the environment and the local economy. Across campus, the certified sites serve an estimated 231,591 meals each year in six sites.
The Food for Life Scotland (FFLS) programme, led by Soil Association Scotland and funded by Scottish Government since 2012, provides a framework through which local authorities and public sector sites can ensure they are serving good food. This is done by meeting a set of standards to achieve the FFLSH certification at Bronze, Silver or Gold level.
As part of their offering, the university has worked with the city-wide Full of Beans campaign, aiming to promote greater consumption of beans and pulses as part of a healthy, planet-friendly diet in Glasgow. Full of Beans is a collaborative campaign between Glasgow Food Policy Partnership and Glasgow Community Food Network. The university has shown their support for the campaign by offering bean-based dishes like vegan stovies with lentils and beans, African fire bean stew and sweet potato, chickpea and dal coconut curry.
Food for Life Served Here certification holders must follow a set of standards. Holding the bronze certification, the University of Glasgow catering teams ensure that a minimum of 75 percent of dishes are cooked from scratch from unprocessed ingredients. Meals are also free from undesirable trans fats, sweeteners and additives, and use free range eggs, higher welfare meat and ingredients from sustainable and ethical sources.
This certification is a key part of the University of Glasgow’s continued commitment to environmental sustainability and responsible practices. Their catering team has introduced a range of impactful initiatives designed to reduce their ecological footprint and support the local economy.
A key focus has been on integrating more seasonal ingredients into their menus, helping to reduce carbon emissions associated with long-distance food transport while enhancing the freshness and nutritional value of their offerings. Alongside this, they are actively working to minimise food waste through creative, sustainable kitchen practices – such as transforming surplus vegetables into soups and using offcuts of fruit to prepare fresh smoothies.
In line with their dedication to supporting the regional economy and promoting transparency in their supply chain, they have significantly expanded their use of local and independent suppliers. This shift not only reduces food miles but also strengthens relationships with small producers and contributes to a more resilient local food system.
Sustainable delivery solutions are also a growing priority. With the support of targeted funding, they have introduced their first refrigerated e-bike to enable low-emission food transport across campus. In addition, all vehicles used for delivered catering services are now fully electric, reflecting their commitment to greener logistics.
To ensure transparency and continuous improvement, they have launched their first Sustainable Catering Review – a detailed, annually published report that outlines the university’s progress, achievements, and future goals. This new publication is an important step in embedding accountability and long-term sustainability into every aspect of their catering operations.
These developments form part of the University of Glasgow’s broader vision to lead by example in tackling climate change, promoting ethical practices, and delivering high-quality, environmentally responsible food services to their students, staff, and wider community.
The FFLS programme helps maximise the power of public sector food as a force for good and has achieved great success within the school meals sector, supporting local authorities to serve 23.5 million FFLSH certified school meals in Scotland in 2024. As well as the health benefits of serving freshly prepared food, the buying power of the public sector has huge potential to support sustainable suppliers, feed back into the local economy and develop resilient supply chains.
In 2022, FFLS launched the Food for Life Scotland Public Sector Expansion Pilot, with the aim of scaling the programme to bring the certification to other public sector sites across Scotland. In 2024, this wider public sector focus has become a core part of the Food for Life Scotland programme.
Christie Bone, Business Service Manager at the University of Glasgow, said: “We are thrilled to have received our Food for Life Served Here Bronze certification. Over the past year, we have made significant changes to our operation and menus to ensure the food we serve is fresh, nutritious and sustainably sourced.
"This certification recognises the commitment of our team who have embedded sustainable practices across catering. During the process we implemented strategies for reducing food waste, prioritising seasonal and local ingredients, expanding our plant-based and low-emission options and promoting food provenance within our services.
"As one of Glasgow’s leading institutions, we are proud to set an example in sustainable catering that benefits both our University and the Glaswegian community, supports local suppliers and encourages positive change across the public sector.”
Sarah Duley, Head of Food, Soil Association Scotland, said: “The catering team at the University of Glasgow have done a fantastic job of connecting with local suppliers and developing their menus in line with the Food for Life Served Here Bronze certification. We would like to thank them for all their hard work and for showing what can be achieved in public sector catering.
“We're delighted to see more Higher and Further Education sites achieving the Food for Life Served Here certification. The Food for Life Scotland team can offer support to public sector caterers across Scotland, to follow in the footsteps of the University of Glasgow.”