In 2021 Cardiff was awarded Silver Sustainable Food Places status – becoming the first place in Wales, and one of only six places in the UK, to achieve the prestigious accolade. The scheme is based on bronze, silver and gold achievements across six key sustainable food issues.
Food Cardiff is a city-wide partnership of individuals and organisations which connects the people and projects working to promote healthy, environmentally sustainable and ethical food across the city. It is leading the campaign to reach the gold standard and become one of the UK’s most sustainable food places.
To help the city hit that target, Food Cardiff has developed a set of pledges and actions which individuals, organisations and businesses can make.
And thanks to support from the FOR Cardiff City Ambition Fund, last year Food Cardiff developed a free toolkit for businesses which showcases all of the business pledges.
FOR Cardiff members can download the free toolkit here: English | Welsh
Actions for businesses range from some easy ‘quick wins’ like doing more to ditch single use packaging and embrace reusables, to more complex and impactful initiatives like joining an environmental accreditation scheme.
As part of the toolkit campaign, Food Cardiff has worked with businesses in the city centre to create case studies and films of the pledges they have made. The case studies can be viewed on the Food Cardiff website here:
Waterloo Tea – Living Wage accreditation and local sourcing
Hodge Bank – working with social businesses
Clayton Hotel – supporting community food networks
Pledges which hospitality businesses are specifically encouraged to take include:
- Include two portions of fruit and veg in every meal
- Ditch single use packaging and #choosetoreuse
- Assess and reduce your food waste
Meanwhile, businesses from any sector can pledge to do some or all of the following:
- Buy from – and invest in – organisations working towards a sustainable future
- Source from local enterprises and not-for-profits
- Provide healthy food and drink options for staff and visitors
- Become a certified Living Wage employer
- Source locally, and shorten supply chains
- Support the local community by offering expertise or space
- Read the Good Food Cardiff Strategy and become an ambassador for change
- Share your Good Food actions with your networks
- Join a Food Cardiff meeting
