Sustainability has become a focus for not only Sodexo but the University community as well.  We recognize that we have a responsibility to use our resources wisely and to protect them for future generations.  Here at StFX and on campuses around the country, Sodexo is committed to developing and measuring ways to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, to conserve water, promote responsible waste management and reduce the use of toxic chemicals. Here are just a few of the things we are doing  on the StFX Campus: 

We offer Just Us! Coffee at Morrison Hall, Bloomfield Café, Keating Café, Twelve, MSB Cafe (excluding Starbucks) and in catering.

Waste Watch by Leanpath Food Waste Prevention Platform (WWxLP)

As part of Sodexo's commitment towards reducing its carbon emission by 34% by 2025, our unit had recently implemented Leanpath, an on-going easy process of tracking pre & post consumer food waste that captures information such as food type, loss and source. This platform generates actionable data to help employees engage and make direct changes to drive food waste reduction.

              HSI/Canada’s Forward Food Program

                In October 2020, Sodexo Canada announced its partnership with the Humane Society International (HSI)                 as part of their plan to elevate plant-based menu offerings in Sodexo accounts across Canada. As part of                 the partnership, HSI/Canada's Forward Food program will provide new plant based training for existing                 Sodexo culinary professionals to develop new, innovative custom plant-based recipes. This partnership                 also includes Sodexo’s commitment towards a transition of swapping at least 20% of the food ingredients                 used to plant-based.

Recycling

We recycle on campus to reduce and reuse material. On Campus we recycle the following products: cardboard, glass, steel, aluminum, paper, plastic and e-waste.

Xprss Nap

Xprss Nap Dispensers save energy and waste.  Not only are the napkins made of 100% recycled paper, the dispensers encourage customers to take (and waste) fewer napkins. Energy is saved because less power is used to recycle paper products than to create them from virgin material.  

Composting

Food waste in landfills creates methane, a greenhouse gas which is 21x more potent than CO2.  Our first priority is to reduce food waste.  We compost food waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and also to enhance and amend soil health by improving soil structure, enhancing micro-organism content, increasing drought tolerance and reducing need for water and fertilizers.

Grounds for Growth

Since 2019, instead of composting our coffee grounds, we introduced the Grounds for Growth program where we offer fresh coffee grounds for any interested individual to use them as organic plant fertilizers.  Coffee grounds are excellent natural resource that help improve plant water retention and contribute additional organic material to the soil. 

Reusable Cup

Bring your own reusable mug to any of our retail locations and get 10 cents off the purchase of your hot beverage. 

Local Suppliers

51% of the products used by Sodexo on the STFX campus come from the Maritimes and 16% comes from small business. Annually we host local suppliers and feature their products through our Morrison Hall menu and catering menus. Our current local partners includes but not limited to - Spurr Brothers Farmers LTD, den Haan Greenhouses, Sawler Farms LTD, VanMeekeren Farms, Vermeulen Farms LTD, and Bonnyman's Wild Blueberries. More information about these local farms can be read HERE in one of our bi-monthly newsletter

Cage Free Eggs

We are shifting all our shell eggs to cage free sources. This shift is part of our Better Tomorrow Plan commitment to sustainability raised products.

Tray Less Dining

Tray less dinning reduces the amount of water and detergent used, saves energy and reduces food wastage. Trayless dining saves an estimated 80,000 Gallons of water per year, along with associated energy and food waste reduction.

Bulk Condiments

We use bulk condiment dispensers to reduce the amount of plastic and food waste as well as reduce water consumption.

ON/OFF Protocol

We save energy by turning equipment on and off only as needed.

CANO

Sodexo had recently partnered up with CANO Company, A Canadian based company that aims to replace single-use packaging in various food service establishments. CANO is a great way to reduce packaging waste by providing customers with an easy, sustainable default option. With the CANO mobile app, users can borrow well designed re-usable food containers and earn rewards while dining at STFX University. Now available at Grab & Go and Bloomfield Cafe.

Too Good To Go - Canada

Too Good To Go is a service with a mobile application that connects customers with their local food service establishments that have surplus unsold food. The mobile app allows customers to buy and collect surprise bags of food - at a 1/3 of the original price - directly from the food service establishment. This amazing service is now available at STFX Campus Food with the pilot location at Bloomfield Cafe.

Building Partnerships with St.FX University

St. Francis Xavier University has a unique community Food Resource Center known as Kevin's Corner Food Resource Center, that focuses on making sufficient and healthy diets accessible to all students. Kevin's Corner, named after Sodexo's late General Manager, is a free, confidential and accessible service to any student who needs it. Each summer, student volunteers dedicate tiring hours in the garden to yield fresh produce that will be available throughout the year.  We are happy to announce that for the last 2 years Sodexo has matched, per pound, the produce from the garden. We are ecstatic that we can honor the work that these students have put in and support the campus community that we have been a part of for 30+ years.  Our staff dedicated part of their casual Friday funds to Kevin's Corner which was then matched by Sodexo’s Stop Hunger foundation and by the university providing plentiful support for the growth of the Food Resource Center.