Social Responsibility

Social Responsibility

As an organization we believe we have an ethical duty to positively impact our current community and future generations. We are actively engaged in making food available to all community members and taking measures to conserve and protect future resources.

ReUse Carry-out Container Pilot Program Successful

In August 2023 IU Dining introduced a sustainability program at the Collins Eatery to lessen resource consumption and reduce the number of single use carry-out containers sent to landfills.

Students dining at Collins can register for the program at no charge and receive a reusable carry-out container from the host upon entering the eatery. The student then returns the used container to a collection bin at Collins. The containers are washed and returned to the host to be used again.

During the fall semester, 683 students have enrolled in the program and achieved a fantastic container return rate of 98%. The weekly average of the number of containers used by participants is 4.17.

Graphic showing 18,148 containers saved from landfill, 1,778 lbs of waste diverted from landfill, 11,725 gallons of water saved, and 12,183 lbs of ghg avoided

Take Less - Waste Less Program

The Take Less – Waste Less Program is a dining initiative to focus attention on food waste within the AYCTE dining locations. By initially taking less food and then coming back for more if you are still hungry, we can dramatically reduce food waste. It is a simple concept with dramatic results. Be sure to do your part and make Take Less – Waste Less the Hoosier way.

The benefits of reducing waste include:

  • Help sustain the environment for future generations.
  • Reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change.
  • Reduce the amount of waste that will need to be recycled or sent to landfills and incinerators.
  • Save energy.

Sustainable activities

We believe that our decisions and actions today will have an impact on future generations. To do our part to support and meet the needs of our students today without compromising future Hoosiers, we’ve made some changes to our operations.

  • We use carry out materials that are compostable.
  • We have removed trays to reduce our consumption of chemicals, electricity, and water.
  • We are using china and silverware to reduce refuse in our landfills.
  • We are opening “all-you-care-to-eat” locations that are proven to produce less food waste.
  • We are using sustainable food sources.

Support for local businesses

We have opened “The Globe,” a micro-restaurant where small local restaurateurs can sell items from their menu on campus. Additionally, we schedule local food trucks to operate on campus at locations experiencing limited or no food service availability.

Food Waste

  • Encourages people to take less food
  • Reduces food waste by as much as 25- 30%

Water Consumption

  • Reduces dish use by up to 27%
  • Saves one-third to one-half gallon of water used to wash a single tray

Fossil Fuel Consumption

  • Eliminates use of energy needed to heat water and operate a dishwasher
  • Eliminates the use of energy needed to produce and transport trays
  • Reduces trips to a landfill to dispose of waste

Environmentally Friendly

  • Reduces the use of chemicals, detergents and drying agents typically needed to clean trays and dishes
  • Reduces discharge into landfills, incinerators, and wastewater treatment facilities