London has grabbed the opportunity offered by this summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games to adopt a raft of initiatives it hopes will establish a ‘food legacy’ and act as a blueprint for similar schemes in other cities.
The inspiration has been the London 2012 Food Vision document, which was published in 2009 and pledges the capital to serve the best of British food at the Games, launching in July.
The aim is not only to offer a wide range of food in the 14 million meals expected to be served across the 40 Games locations this summer, but to put in place a sustainable system for the whole city for the future.
The vision includes a commitment that all dairy products, beef, lamb and poultry must be British, that bananas, tea, coffee and sugar will be Fairtrade and that traditional British cheese such as cheddar must be British.
The idea is to set new standards for catering that will leave a positive legacy for the future.
At the launch of the Food Vision, the London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton said: ‘We want to ensure everyone at the Games has a fantastic experience and key to that is the food and drink that’s available – we want it to be affordable, sustainable and celebrating the fantastic diversity and quality of what Britain has to offer.
“But we also want to ensure that there is a great legacy for the catering industry in this country, ensuring it is even better equipped to provide quality, sustainable food and drink for events both large and small.”
That idea has now been taken forward by London Food Link, which is working with London boroughs to promote healthy and sustainable food in the city.
Now it has produced a report that shows the progress London’s 33 boroughs have made on key food issues.
It shows that leading London Boroughs are supporting community food growing, improving school food, helping residents reduce food waste, encouraging local food outlets to use healthier ingredients, and buying ethical food in schools and local authority canteens, including Fairtrade products, free range eggs and sustainable fish.
“This is the first time that such a thorough audit has been undertaken of what London boroughs are doing to support good food,” said Kath Dalmeny, policy director of Sustain, an alliance of food and farming organisations that runs the London Food Link.
“It is inspiring to see that almost a third of London’s boroughs have taken significant steps towards improving London’s food system on food issues that will also be championed by the organisers of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Ten boroughs are praised in the report for “creating an inspiring food legacy for London 2012”. Islington and Richmond were highlighted for leading the way, and also Camden, Croydon, Enfield, Greenwich, Merton, Sutton, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest.
roughs took the simple, affordable and effective action surveyed, it would significantly improve the health and well-being of Londoners, the livelihoods of farmers and other food providers, and the sustainability of the food system on which we all depend.
“What an inspiring legacy that would be for London 2012.”
The Good Food for London report has been sent to the heads of all 33 borough councils as well as local planning authorities and health, environment and procurement departments, encouraging them to take part.
The work of the boroughs and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) are now being brought together under the Food Legacy banner as caterers start to look beyond the Games and how they can be the platform on which to build significant, long-term changes programme.
“With the inspiration of the London 2012 Food Vision, and working together, we can transform the food system, making significant improvements to people’s health, the environment and good jobs in food and farming,” said Rosie Boycott, chair of the London Food Board and the person spearheading the legacy programme.
And the industry – from operators to food, drink and equipment suppliers – are being invited to put their name to ‘The Food Legacy Pledge’.
Boycott said: “It asks caterers, restaurants, event organisers and hospitality organisations to commit publicly to taking steps to improve the healthiness, ethics and sustainability of the food they serve.
“Caterers can sign up to the pledge and commit themselves to providing customers with healthy as well as sustainable food.
“And contracting organisations such as local authorities, NHS Trusts and private companies that buy in a catering service can also sign the Food Legacy pledge. By doing that they send a strong signal to service providers and food suppliers about healthy as well as sustainable food.”
She added that signing the Food Legacy pledge asked caterers to do two things; celebrate what they have already achieved and make a public commitment to what they did next to improve the health, ethics and sustainability of the food they served.
“The specific commitments you make will vary depending on the size and type of business,” she said.
“These can be agreed in discussion with the Food Legacy programme and we will be able to direct you to specialist support services if you need help turning pledges into action.”
Commitments can cover:
• Menus designed to reflect the best of British and seasonal food, eg. Red Tractor Farm Assured fruit, vegetables, salads and cereal crops.
• Bananas, tea, coffee, chocolate and sugar Fairtrade certified
• Dairy products (except cheese) produced to Red Tractor standard; traditional cheeses which are made from British milk
• All eggs from free-range production
• Meat and poultry produced to at least Red Tractor or equivalent standard
• All fish demonstrably sustainable, working to the London 2012 Food Vision definition (also promoted and supported by the Sustainable Fish City campaign)
• Adopting healthy catering guidelines: Basing meals on wholegrain food and fruit and vegetables; reducing fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt
• Adoption of a food waste reduction strategy
• Training staff in health and sustainability: Managers, chefs, kitchen staff, baristas, procurement staff etc
• Adoption the London Living Wage to help low-income workers
Boycott added: “Don’t be put off by the long list. This is aspirational and not every point makes sense for each catering operator.
“The most important thing at this stage is to make a realistic commitment and start moving towards what you can achieve.”
Mayor of London Boris Johnson has leant his weight to The Food Legacy Pledge, asking the capital’s restaurants, hotels and caterers to produce meals from healthy, ethical, sustainable and British ingredients, as part of the drive to help revitalise London’s food sector.
The Food Legacy programme is also supported by New Covent Garden Market Authority, Defra, NHS London and food sustainability as well as conservation groups.
www.sustainweb.org/foodlegacy/food_legacy_pledge/
www.sustainweb.org/londonfoodlink.