Diversity Food Services is once again being recognized for their sustainability efforts, this time by the Province of Manitoba.
The social enterprise, which operates six food outlets at The University of Winnipeg, was named the ‘Champion for Sustainability’ in the annual Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Awards. This specific award is given to an individual, organization, or business making a “notable contribution to sustainability, and advancing sustainable practices in a community or a business sector.”
“We are proud to be the recipient of this very important award. We want to thank UWinnipeg’s Campus Sustainability Office for nominating us and thank Sustainable Development Manitoba for recognizing the accomplishments of organizations around the province,” said Ian Vickers, Diversity’s Chief Operating Officer. “It’s always a pleasure to see so many great organizations leading the way to a sustainable future.”
In August, Diversity Food Services helped UWinnipeg earn the top ranking among 336 post-secondary schools in North America for sustainable food and dining, as determined by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). It was also the fifth consecutive year that UWinnipeg was atop the Canadian campus list.
Sustainability is at the heart of all Diversity Food Service’s activities. That means striving to ensure purchases come from local suppliers or meet recognized food and beverage sustainability standards. A true Manitoba success story, Diversity Food Services purchases most of its ingredients from within 100 kilometres of the UWinnipeg campus, drawing from nearly 100 local partners, including Simcock Farms and Gunn’s Bakery. Some inputs are produced on site — such as honey from rooftop beehives, as well as herbs, micro-greens, and vegetables from a student-led, on-campus gardening initiative.
