Our Social Responsibility Initiatives

Our sustainability programs

The Hospitality & Ancillary Services department is committed to protecting the environment and implementing sustainable food service practices. A part of this commitment is to continue to look for creative ways to make a difference, which explains why we have such a diverse collection of programs and initiatives.

UTM may be a small campus, but we believe there are still plenty of things we can do and ways we can impact not just UTM, but the planet, and reduce our footprint. 

Take a look at some of the things we are doing, and please let us know if you have any questions -

You can reach us at hospitality.utm@utoronto.ca or 905-569-4795. 

OZZI | Reusable Containers 

SILVER | Fair Trade Campus

UTM Farm

Bring Your Own Cup Discount

OSCAR | Waste Diversion

UTM Bees & Honey

Food Waste Strategies

We strive to continually decrease our output and be strategic in waste reduction in all areas. We work in tandem with our food service partner to implement the following strategies.

Post-Consumer Waste 

While ultimately we do not have any control over where students, staff, and faculty put their waste, we do our very best to help educate consumers so they can correctly dispose of their waste.

In March 2019, we redesigned the waste room in Colman Commons in OPH to provide physical examples of what goes where in order to eliminate questions or any areas of confusion. We have taken actual items sold on campus, emptied them, cleaned them, and glued them to the walls above the place where they need to be thrown – Glass/Metal Recycling, Plastic Recycling, Garbage, Food Waste, Liquid Waste. We have also installed a sink for liquid waste and a strainer to catch the solids in order to ensure proper disposal.

Reusable Dishware

In order to decrease the amount of waste from single-use plates, cups and cutlery, we use china, reusable hard plastic cups, and metal silverware in Colman Commons in OPH. We also have buckets set up in the waste room for all like-style plates, bowls, cutlery, and cups for efficient dishwashing (fewer cycles = less water and soap). 

Single-Use Water Bottle Policy

As of the fall of 2013, UTM banned the sale of single use plastic (SUP) water bottles. To ensure the community still has ample access to clean drinking water whenever they need it UTM added new water fountains and upgraded existing water fountains across campus. The design of the new water fountains is such that community members can easily fill their reusable bottles at the fountains without getting water everywhere or spilling their beverage.

To ensure that everyone on campus has access to reusable water bottles, the department of Hospitality & Ancillary Services has given out over 6,575 reusable water bottles to the community.

Find the news story here and here.

Energy Efficient Equipment

Where possible we purchase energy star rated equipment for food services on campus. This method of selection considers both energy and water usage. The type of equipment we are able to select based on these considerations are refrigerators, cooking equipment, & dishwashers. You can learn more about energy star ratings here.

Additionally, in food service locations, we source LED lighting not simply for aesthetics, but also for energy efficiency within kitchens and dining spaces.

Fats, Oils, and Grease

The department of Hospitality & Ancillary Services is committed to decreasing our negative impact on the environment and continue to look for ways to sustainably dispose of, and reduce, our kitchen waste. Two initiatives we currently have in place are:

1. We sell our used cooking oil to a company who recycles it for bio-diesel (bio-diesel is a clean-burning fuel)
2. We have a monthly grease trap service/collection reducing the amount of FOG released into the municipal wastewater stream 

LOCUS Vending Machine

Sustainable · Local · Vegan

This vending machine is unique to UTM and is managed by our Farmer Pawel. We bring in local, sustainable, plant-based goods in order to support local artisans and bring new and fun options to the UTM community.

Some of the brands we have brought in are:

• Copperpot Nuts
• Honey Bar
• Snack Conscious protein bites
• Nomz energy bites

Green Cleaning

Our food service partner uses environmentally friendly cleaning products to avoid harmful chemicals in food service locations.

Organic Waste

We have installed a dehydrator in Colman Commons and the Davis Building which has decreased our organic food output by an estimated 50%.

Conferences & Events

Our event coordinators work closely with clients to understand the nature of the event, the number of attendees and additional expectations around the event to ensure a responsible amount of food is ordered to avoid over-ordering and any additional food waste.