Earlier this academic year, we received a motion calling for the SU to transition to plant-based food offerings to tackle the climate crisis. Read the full update here.
Like many organisations, Warwick SU is on a journey towards becoming sustainable – and looking forward, our goal will be to build a more sustainable model for delivering the core services that we provide to students at Warwick.
Students at Warwick have been vocal about what this journey looks like, particularly around the provision of plant-based food through SU outlets. Earlier this academic year, we received a motion calling for the SU to transition to plant-based food offerings to tackle the climate crisis.
Our starting point is a tricky one – which is why we need to be realistic about the changes we make. The hospitality sector is facing significant challenges at the moment: supplying our outlets with ingredients and products (as well as electricity and staff to take such good care of them!) is becoming more and more expensive, and we’re working hard to not pass those price hikes onto students. So let us walk you through what we are doing, and where we aim to end up!
Our operations staff have been working hard behind the scenes to begin to position Warwick SU as a driving force for change in the sector, so that in future, more significant steps towards sustainable working practices are achievable for SUs like Warwick. As part of our commitment, we have been one of the founding members of the Sustainable SUs (SSU) coalition, working alongside other SUs in the sector to propel the green transition within the realm of food and beverage services across students' unions. This will include a number of measures to support this transition, including prominently displaying carbon footprints on our menus, ensuring plant-based milk equity in our outlets, integrating affordable, nutritious and appealing plant-based options into existing menus, and ensuring that these choices are accessible to all students.
The Plant-Based Universities (PBU) campaign is committed to increasing plant-based options in our Student Union facilities. As an SU, we endorse and strive to reflect the campaign’s dedication to promoting sustainability, environmental stewardship, and the well-being of our student body. As of now, our menus at the Dirty Duck are 51% plant based.
While we have ratified the initial resolve to support the PBU campaign and encourage our officers to advocate for its implementation at the university level, we acknowledge that we did not ratify the commitment to transition to 100% plant-based offerings by 2027. This decision stems from a careful consideration of the practical and financial challenges associated with such a significant transition, and our responsibility to be financially sustainable and considerate of the diverse needs of our student community.
We recognize the amendment passed by the National Union of Students (NUS) supporting the PBU campaign and align ourselves with this broader movement for institutional change. We also recognise that the “Food, Funding, and Shelter: Defending Students’ Right to Basic Human Rights” policy included an amendment that called on the NUS to “campaign for university catering to transition towards 100% plant-based” and for NUS Services Limited catering to “provide fully plant-based catering provision for universities who want to transition”. Against this backdrop, our support for the PBU campaign’s principles remains steadfast, and we aim to work towards meaningful changes at Warwick within feasible timelines.
Through SSU, we will be working towards targets promoting sustainable agriculture through our catering tenders, as well as promoting plant-based options to aid the diet shift approach. Within this, we will be looking to improve our plant-based options, with a collaborative joined up student education campaign to promote more plant-based and low carbon eating.
Furthermore, we pledge to regularly revisit our transition timelines and maintain open communication with the student body and the plant-based Warwick campaigners through consistent and transparent meetings. This ongoing dialogue will ensure that our approach remains responsive to student needs and feedback.
Our commitment to supporting the PBU campaign and our work through SSU is grounded in our belief that collective action can lead to significant positive change. By working together, we can contribute to a more ecological and environmentally just future.