Sustainable food is that produced in more environmentally friendly, socially acceptable and economically equitable ways.

Who is the Guide for?
This Sustainable Food Guide is for people who may be responsible for food purchasing in the organisation. This may be a food manager, caterer, restauranteur, or pub landlord. These people can who act on behalf of their customers conscience and support sustainable initiatives.

This Sustainable Food Guide helps buyers provide the bridge to link between powerful retailers and individual consumers. They can go beyond the minimum requirements of law - which may prevent the worst excesses but do not promote best practices.

What does the Guide do?
This Guide provides people with the main issues, how to ask key questions, find information and present plans. You can help make policies, set targets and promote sustainable food.

There are no absolute answers to many of the issues. You will determine what is 'sustainable' food.

How does the Guide work?
The Guide summarises the main issues and spells out the relevant laws, codes or standards, and points to many other sources to help plan what to do. The Guide uses a simple management system, as used to improve quality or the environment, to take steps to promote sustainable food.

Why is the Guide useful now?

This Guide helps promote sustainable food and thus support the UK Policy on Sustainable Farming and Food. The UK government wants "millions of daily meals more sustainable" and is encouraging public bodies, such as NHS and Local Authorities to use their powers, either through procurement, or direct influence, to promote more sustainable food.

1. Sustainable Food Procurement Initiative was launched in August 2003 "to promote public procurement of food that supports delivery of the Government's Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy for England". For latest news and case studies

2. Food Vision is a development that brings together Local Authorities and the Food Standards Agency to promote projects that "promote the production of, and access to, safe, sustainable and nutritious food"

This Guide gives people who want more sustainable food to take the first steps in that direction.

SF Guide Layout

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