Climate Pledge for Business & Organisations

As a local business or organisation you have the power to build healthy communities that support the environment and the local economy through the food you buy, serve and sell.

Food systems account for up to a third of global greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to both the climate and ecological crises. Food is at the heart of some of the biggest challenges we are facing today, including biodiversity loss and escalating levels of obesity. By following and promoting climate-friendly practices and helping your local community take action through the food they eat, your business can support both people and the planet.

Take the Business and organisation Climate Pledge to help Cambridge Eat for our Future. 

Less meat, more plants

• Kale Yeah’s! Sustainable Catering Scheme provides guidance on how caterers can change their menu to be more plant-based, including a menu guide a tool kit.

• Add a new type of pulse to a dish each month, with this guide.

• Try calculating the carbon footprint of the food you serve before and after the pledge, and send us the result.

• Learn what’s classified as Better Meat in terms of climate change, antibiotic use and animal welfare

• The Marine Conservation Good Fish guide provides up to date seafood ratings to help you make the most sustainable choice.

• Find out about which plant-based milks are the best and jazz up your menu with some plant-based cheeses like Sheese, Nutcrafter Creamery or Tyne Chease.

• Learn how the LEAF Marque Standard ensures that food has been grown sustainably with care for the environment.

Seasonal and local produce

• Explore our Sustainable Food Directory on the best places to purchase local produce in Cambridge.

• Cambridge University Sustainable Food Policy is a good example of using less and better meat and dairy, and also covers fish, Fair Trade, fruit and vegetables, food waste, plastics and packaging, energy, water and products.

• Discover the importance of buying and serving local and seasonal produce and explore what’s in season.

• Become a sustainable food awarded business, our tailored scheme for food businesses who are endeavouring to become more environmentally friendly and ethical.

• Explore Food for Life Served Here standards and awards, and how you can support the local economy and protect the environment for the future.

Food waste, surplus food and energy use

• Take action on your businesses food waste using WRAP’s resources, tools and guidance.

• Measure and take action on your businesses food waste, including creating a food waste action plan, and adopting a Food Waste Policy.

• Discover how to recycle your unavoidable food waste in Cambridge here. Cambridge Food Hub also provides collection of schemes for old coffee grounds and crisp packets.

• Support the local community and prevent food waste by redistributing your surplus food. As a local food business you can express your interest in donating surplus to a community food hub through this form.

• Explore our Environmental Advice for Food Businesses page advice covering food waste reduction, recycling in Cambridge, reducing packaging use, saving water and energy, sustainable sourcing, keeping it local and how to communicate sustainability with your staff.

• The Carbon Trust has put together a guide to help food businesses and caterers reduce energy use.

• Switch the a renewable energy supplier! Companies like Good Energy can supply your business with renewable electricity, generated in the UK from sun, wind and water.

Business Webinar Presentations

As part of the Cambridge Zero Carbon Festival we ran a series of webinars for food businesses, designed to help food businesses and the planet thrive together. Drawing together local businesses and experts in their fields, the five webinars showed how business boost sales, reduce overheads and promote their food business through taking action on climate change.

If you missed the webinars, or want to catch up with the content, see below for the slides over all five sessions.

Introduction slides covering who Cambridge Sustainable Food are and how businesses can get involved.

Session 1: Introduction slides covering who Cambridge Sustainable Food are and how businesses can get involved, including the launch of Cambridge Sustainable Food’s Awards scheme for food businesses.

Session 2: Saving energy as a food business. Slides from Energise and PECT.

Session 3: Climate is on the menu, a presentation by Kale Yeah! Kitchens and Cambridge University Catering Service.

Session 4: Serving local and seasonal food to help your business and the planet. A presentation by the National Farming Union.

Session 5: Protection profits and the planet by cutting food waste. A presentation by Cambridge Greater Shared Waste.