Two courses of sustainability training on the menu for university caterers

16th February 2016

Universities committed to putting sustainability at the heart of their catering operation can now embed these principles and practicalities throughout their workforce with a new set of training courses being run by the hospitality industry’s leading sustainability organisation.

The Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) is delivering a series of training courses to university and college caterers across the UK, as part of its ongoing partnership with TUCO and its Academy.

More than 30 universities have signed up to the SRA’s University Catering Programme and a number of them have completed the Food Made Good Rating, achieving a variety of One, Two and Three Star ratings.

Mark Linehan, Managing Director of the SRA, said: “All our experience drawn from working with hundreds of foodservice businesses, shows us that the businesses that implement sustainability most successfully are those with an informed and engaged workforce. Training is absolutely central to the complex formula for success.”
The highly interactive training courses explore the key challenges university and college caterers face when it comes to tackling sustainability issues - from managing food waste, to sourcing sustainable fish, whilst continuing to provide students with healthy and affordable meals.

The two courses, an interactive CPD Certified Foundation in Foodservice Sustainability, and a highly collaborative Sustainability is your Business workshop, are open to professionals building a career in the hospitality sector whose employers are a TUCO member and suitable for team leaders, training officers, procurement staff, catering managers, chefs and anyone creating menus.

Mike Haslin, Chief Operating Office of TUCO, said: “The TUCO Academy is helping to meet the training needs of the university catering industry and sustainability is an absolutely core element of this. So we are delighted to partner with the SRA to provide these courses that we believe will give staff the knowledge and skills they need to put them at the forefront of sustainable catering.”

The SRA launched its training programmes for the wider hospitality sector in April 2015 and the industry has responded very positively. Two Star SRA Member, Cheshire Cats Pubs and Bars said “our Head Chef now feels empowered to work with our network of suppliers to improve the group’s sourcing standards”

The courses will be running at university sites from February to May this year. Bookings can be made by emailing Judith.Hoyle@tuco.org.To find out more about training courses and workshops delivered by the SRA contact Bairbre Doyle bairbre@thesra.org. Or visit the TUCO website.