Sodexo Grows Reusable To-Go Container Program

Sodexo, which supports foodservice at select campuses and universities across the U.S., will grow its reusable to-go container program this fall.

With help from a solutions provider, Sodexo will measure environmental impact, monitor daily participation and track progress in reducing plastic usage by implementing reusable containers in certain cafeterias and retail venues it operates.

Kate Shearer, director of sustainability and CSR for Sodexo Campus, says in a statement that through its partnership with the provider, Sodexo aims “to ignite transformative changes by promoting small actions, such as transitioning to reusable containers, that will drive significant impacts over time.” Shearer says Sodexo hopes to empower students to adopt sustainable practices in its dining halls.

For a Sodexo campus that’s already taken on the program, Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga, Calif., operated by Sodexo’s Good Eating Co., key outcomes include a 97% return rate with 11 reuses per container so far. Sodexo also says the use of reusable containers has encouraged students to rethink their usage of chinaware.

Along with Saint Mary’s, other Sodexo campuses currently using or set for implementation this fall include SUNY New Paltz, New Paltz, N.Y.; University of Maine, Orono, Maine; University of Vermont, Burlington, Vt.; North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, N.C.; Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Ark.; Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pa.; and George Mason University, Fairfax, Va.

On the commercial foodservice side, Just Salad offered an update on its reusable bowl program last month.