Sustainable Food
Procurement Code
2011
Dorset Procurement
Improving the quality of life for people in Dorset,
now and for the futurethe future
DORSET PROCUREMENT
SUSTAINABLE FOOD PROCUREMENT CODE
Background
Access to safe, affordable and nutritious food is vital for people to be able to
live fulfilled active and healthy lives, in line with article 25 of the UN
declaration of Human Rights and World Health Organisation Ottawa Charter
for Health Promotion.
To support article 25 and the council’s own commitment for the availability of
healthy and sustainable food products to meet the needs of both the local
community and visitors, the Council is developing a Sustainable Food
Procurement Code.
This Sustainable Food Procurement Code, produced in collaboration with the
local borough and district councils, should help facilitate greater opportunities
for local organisations to contribute to its requirements for food produce,
products and services in its many catering outlets, including schools,
residential care homes and tourist attractions. At the same time, for those
products not available locally, the councils are supporting the procurement
from sources that contribute to protecting the environment and those
communities working in an ethical way in providing such products to the
international markets. Fairly traded goods, for example, help ensure that
economic, environmental and social standards are met when such food is
exported from developing countries.
This Sustainable Food Procurement Code will set out how the council will
provide such opportunities in compliance with the European Procurement
legislation. It will also help ensure that the food related industries and services
across Dorset and the region continue to develop and deliver high quality
healthy and nutritious products to meet the needs of both local residents and
visitors.
Dorset’s Sustainable Food Procurement Code may need to be amended to
meet any changes or gaps identified from the proposed Public Bodies
(Sustainable Food) Bill that is expected to receive assent during 2011. This
Bill proposes that relevant sectors, including local government, prepare a
Code for Sustainable Food to promote the procurement of healthy and
sustainable food in accordance with the Code’s objectives.
Introduction
There is no single agreed definition of sustainable food but the following
examples help identify some of the main areas that need to be considered as
part of any sustainable food code.
Sustainable food has been defined by ‘Sustain’ as food that should be
produced, processed and traded in ways that:
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Contribute to thriving local economies and sustainable livelihoods –
both in the UK and in producer countries
Protect the diversity of both plants and animals (and the welfare of
farmed and wild species)
Avoid damaging natural resources and avoid contributing to climate
change
Provide social benefits, such as good quality food, safe and healthy
products and educational opportunities.
The Sustainable Development Commission (SDC) describes sustainable food
as food and drink that:
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Is safe, healthy and nutritious for consumers in shops, restaurants,
schools, hospitals etc
Provides a viable livelihood for farmers, processors and retailers whose
employees enjoy a safe and hygienic working environment whether in
the UK or overseas
Respects biophysical and environmental limits in its production and
processing while reducing energy consumption and improving the
wider environment
Respects the highest standards of animal health and welfare,
compatible with the production of affordable food for all sectors of
society
Supports rural economies and the diversity of rural culture, in particular
through an emphasis on local products that keep food miles to a
minimum
Meet the needs of less well-off people.
Furthermore, there is no widely accepted definition of local foods but the Soil
Association’s Food for Life catering mark defines it as food that is grown or
reared and prepared within the region or neighbouring county to the facility
providing the food. In Dorset’s case, this would mean the South West region
and the neighbouring counties of Devon, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire.
Our ambitions - what we will be doing:
The council spends several million pounds each year on food & drink,
producing thousands of meals for a wide range of people with diverse needs,
including children, older people, adults with learning disabilities, employees
and visitors to our county. The following ambitions will help shape and
underpin our approach to food provision, including the way the council uses
its buying power, services and influence to provide a healthier and sustainable
future for our local community.
1. Adopt food procurement practices that serves as a model of
health, social and environmental responsibility:
The council will use its significant buying power, influence and services
to provide access to healthy and sustainable foods.
Our overall aim is to develop an approach to the procurement and
management of the public sector, including the NHS, food supply
chain, which provides value for money whilst delivering greater local
and regional economic, social and environmental benefits.
To this end we will also be looking at opportunities to work with all
current and future successful contractor(s) through the contract
management process to bring added value to the Contract, paying
particular attention to: 
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The minimisation of waste, including packaging associated with the
food supply chain and the proportion of which is reused and/or
recycled
Increasing the use of recycled materials in food packaging or
recyclable food packaging
Increase the consumption, as appropriate, of healthy and nutritious
food
Increasing the use of more sustainable sourced and
produced/harvested food products
Sourcing ingredients that are lower in saturated fat, salt and added
sugar thereby avoiding undesirable additives and hydrogenated fats
Increasing the use of seasonal food products
Working with suppliers to support the use of products in compliance
with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Voluntary Code 2012
targets for the reduction of salt, for example, craft bakers.
Ensuring traceability, animal welfare and environmental protection
Improve the freshness of delivered produce
Promoting the use of both heavy and light catering equipment that
are as energy efficient as possible. In respect of light equipment, all
new and replacement items should, where applicable, be ‘A’ rated.
Minimising the number of vehicles associated with the distribution of
food to public sector establishments
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Increasing the proportion of food produced according to a
recognised assurance scheme, e.g. schemes eligible to use the
Little Red Tractor, LEAF Marque, Freedom Foods and others.
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Increasing the procurement of FAIRTRADE products where it
represents best value through greater collaboration with other public
sector bodies and food suppliers. Such products currently relate to
tea, coffee, chocolate, cereals, fruit and fruit juices.
A ban on the use of any GM food products and caged bird eggs.
The council will also be seeking a nomination for ‘The Good Egg’
Award from the Compassion in World Farming in recognition of its
commitment to purchase free range or barn eggs only.
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2. Actively adopt approaches to help the council, its neighbouring
and regional public sector partners to become more secure in
terms of being able to meet its own food demands (wherever
practicable) from as close to the region as possible.
The council will work in collaboration with other local and regional
public sector organisations, including the NHS, to help promote the
awareness when opportunities for the supply of food products and
related services become available. The awareness of such
opportunities will be promoted through:
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Regional and local workshops with food suppliers
Attendance at ‘Meet the Buyer’ or similar type events.
Briefings or workshops in conjunction with Federation of Small
Businesses (FSB), Business Links, 3rd sector infrastructure
groups (eg Dorset Community Action (DCA)) and Chambers of
Commerce to help educate local, smaller and third sector
suppliers on procurement regulations
Advertising all contracting opportunities on the council’s website
Dorset for You and ‘Supply to Gov’ (or its replacement medium)
Working with Tier 1 food suppliers to encourage the use of local
producers and suppliers as part of their supply chain.
Working with tenants of County Farms to identify and
encourage, where possible, capacity building to meet local
needs whilst at the same time representing value for money.
Working with local interest groups including Direct from Dorset
and Chalk & Cheese.
3. Providing access to nutritious, healthy and well balanced meals to
all those using council services.
Having identified strategies for the procurement of sustainable foods,
the council will ensure that our customers will be able to easily access
such foods from the numerous public sector outlets by:
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Developing and designing menu’s that provide access to
nutritionally balanced, healthy, appetising and enjoyable foods
built around choice, variety, affordability and meeting the needs
of our diverse range of customers.
Promoting the use of seasonal fruit and vegetables through the
design of menus and the ability to subject menus to include
seasonal variations,
Managing the preparation and presentation of food including
portion sizes and creating the best accessible environment in
which to enjoy the meal experience whilst helping to minimise
waste
Ensuring that all staff employed in the provision of food, either
employed directly by the council or through a catering
contractor, are appropriately skilled and trained in nutrition and
in receipt of recognised catering qualifications.
Working closely with all catering outlets across the council
including schools, vocational services and care homes, to
promote the take up as appropriate of healthy and nutritious
foods and its proven benefits including improved learning
retentiveness and well being.
Close collaboration where appropriate with Environmental
Health Officers and Trading Standards Officers to ensure
compliance with the many regulations currently in place for the
safety and standard of food products and its labelling and
marketing.
Section 1 – Assurance Schemes
There are numerous schemes in place for the assurance of various
food groups. Produce can be aligned with more than one scheme and
be eligible to join others.
When contracting, care must be taken to avoid the inclusion of specific
assurance marks, as this is discriminatory. The council can work with
its suppliers and encourage registration or compliance with such
schemes to help assure the quality of a particular or range of food
products. Such schemes may include the following:
Pork Quality Standard Mark (SQM) – an independently audited
quality assurance scheme for pig meat, covering all aspects of
production, including animal welfare from birth to slaughter. All pork
and pork products complying with this UK scheme will carry the
distinctive QSM on the pack.
Red Tractor – an independent mark of quality which guarantees that
products, including beef, lamb, chicken, turkey, dairy produce, cereals
and sugar, comes from farms and food companies that meet high
standards of food safety and hygiene, animal welfare and
environmental protection. The logo assures consumers that food has
been produced responsibly to meet the Red Tractor standards, based
on EU/UK legislation, codes of good agricultural practice and expertise
throughout the food chain.
RSPCA Freedom Food – the farm assurance and food labelling
scheme established by the RSPCA dedicated to farm animal welfare.
The nine standards are for rearing, handling, transport and slaughter
and broadly based on the five freedoms defined by the Farm Animal
Welfare Council.
LEAF Marque – ‘Linking Environment and Farming’. This Marque
gives consumers assurance that their food has been produced in an
environmentally responsible way using a whole farm approach to
produce healthy crops and livestock while caring for the environment.
The LEAF Marque appears on many different products from fruit and
vegetables to dairy products and meat.
Lion Quality eggs – this mark on egg shells and boxes guarantees
that eggs have come from British hens and produced to the highest
standards of food safety.
FAIRTRADE – The FAIRTRADE Mark is an independent consumer
label that guarantees developing world farmers and workers a fair price
for their produce and an additional sum of money, the FAIRTRADE
premium, for community development. The FAIRTRADE standards
ensure that sustainable farming practices and decent working
conditions are met. The FAIRTRADE system also helps marginalised
farmers get a fairer deal and better market access. The label is a
helpful way of demonstrating that FAIRTRADE standards are being
met.
Rainforest Alliance – works to conserve biodiversity and ensure
sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business
practices and consumer behaviour.
Marine Stewardship Council – the MSC provides a certification and
eco-labelling programme for sustainable seafood. The MSC standards
for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability ensure that MSC
labelled seafood comes from, and can be traced back, to a sustainable
fishery.
UTZ CERTIFIED – dedicated to the creation of an open and
transparent marketplace for agricultural products. Although currently
limited to coffee supply chains, its vision is to achieve sustainable
agricultural supply chains in which farmers are professional
implementing good practice, industry takes responsibility by demanding
and rewarding sustainably grown products and consumers buy
products that meet UTZ standard for social and environmental
responsibility
Section 2 - Seasonal Food Tables
In order to help with the design and planning of menus to incorporate
seasonal foods wherever possible, the following table may be helpful.
SEASONAL FOOD CALENDAR
Month
Fruit & vegetables
Fish & meat
January
Cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, forced rhubarb,
leeks, parsnips, turnip, shallots, squash
goose, lobster,
scallops
February
Cabbage, cauliflower, celeriac, chard, chicory,
forced rhubarb, kohlrabi, leeks, parsnips,
spinach, swede, turnip
mussels, halibut,
guinea fowl,
lobster
Beetroot, cabbage, cauliflower, leeks, mint,
mooli, parsley, broccoli, radishes, rhubarb,
sorrel
Fresh sardines,
lobster
April
Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, morel
mushrooms, wild garlic, radishes, rhubarb,
carrots, kale, watercress, spinach, rosemary
flowers
spring lamb,
cockles
May
Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, gooseberries,
parsley, mint, broad beans, rhubarb, new
carrots, samphire, asparagus
sea bass, lemon
sole, sardines,
duck, sea trout
June
carrots, cherries, elderflowers, lettuce,
strawberries, peppers, asparagus, redcurrants,
peas, rhubarb, gooseberries, tayberries,
tomatoes, courgettes, broad beans
welsh lamb,
crab, salmon,
grey mullet
July
carrots, gooseberries, strawberries, spinach,
tomatoes, watercress, loganberries, sage,
cauliflower, aubergine, fennel, asparagus,
cabbage, celery, cherries, lettuce, mangetout,
nectarines, new potatoes, oyster mushrooms,
peas, peaches, radish, raspberries, rhubarb,
tomatoes, French beans
Trout, pilchards,
clams, pike,
pigeon
carrots, gooseberries, lettuce, loganberries,
raspberries, strawberries, cauliflower,
aubergines, nectarines, peaches, peppers,
courgettes, rhubarb, sweetcorn, greengages,
basil, peas, pears, apples, French beans,
tomatoes
crayfish, hare,
skate, john dory
March
August
September
apples, aubergines, blackberries, cabbage,
carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, damsons,
elderberries, figs, French beans, grapes, kale,
lettuce, melons mushrooms, nectarines,
onions, peppers, parsnips, peas, peaches,
pears, potatoes, pumpkin, raspberries,
rhubarb, spinach, sweetcorn, tomatoes
duck, venison,
oysters, sea
bass, grouse,
mussels,
partridge, wood
pigeon, brown
trout
apples, aubergines, beetroot, cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, courgettes, grapes, lettuce,
marrow, mushrooms, parsnips, potatoes,
squash, tomatoes, watercress
guinea fowl,
partridge,
mussels, grouse,
oysters
November
cabbage, pumpkin, swede, cauliflower,
potatoes, parsnips, pears, leeks, quinces,
chestnuts, cranberries, beetroot
grouse, goose
December
Celery, cabbage, red cabbage, cauliflower,
celeriac, pumpkin, beetroot, turnips, parsnips,
sprouts, pears, swede
wild duck,
goose, sea bass,
turkey
October
Section 3 – Current providers of food and food related services
To be plotted on GIS map. Also need to add our suppliers ‘supply
chain’
Bread & Confectionery
Dorset Cake Co, Weymouth, DT4 7JZ
Williams of Wool, BH20 6DB
Buffets
Signature Foods, Sherborne, DT9 4LF
Dry & Chilled Goods
3663, Salisbury SP5 3HY
Fresh & Frozen Meats
Springfields, Poole, BH12 4HU
Frozen & Chilled Foods
Hunts, Sherborne, DT9 3NJ
Apetito, Trowbridge, BA14 8RJ
Fruit & Vegetables
County Fare, Bournemouth, BH11 9DU
Graingers, Dorchester DT1 1YA
Milk & Dairy Products
Dairycrest Ltd, Callun Road, Poole BH12 4NN
Dairycrest Ltd, Lynch Lane, Weymouth DT4 9DN
Bottled Water
Eden Springs, Slough SL1 4RY
School Catering Services providers
Catering Academy, Tamworth B79 0LH
Chartwells, Uxbridge UB9 4BF
Cygnet Catering, Nottingham NG9 2JR
Innovate, Tring HP23 5JT
Pro-Serve, BridgewaterTA6 4RR
Sodexo, Swindon SN5 7UD
Pabulum, Fleet GU51 4WP
Local Food Links, Bridport DT6 3RR