Make the right choices, live responsibly
SEED is our way of engaging in positive practices that compliment the Flik Independent School Dining's food and nutrition philosophy. The goal is to protect the environment and the ability of future generations to thrive. Through our SEED initiatives we are fortunate to be an integral part of so many special communities, and we are constantly looking for new ways to invest our time and energy into making the world around us a better place.
Our Core Beliefs
We care about the effects on the environment and integrate educational materials into our programming for students. But we don't stop there. Educating our associates on reducing energy consumption is another way we show our commitment. When it comes to food, our first priority is to feature local foods and buy from farmers that practice ecologically responsible methods.
We believe that the health of our eco-system is directly connected to the health of our communities and people who live in them. Acting responsibly is part of our company DNA and we are committed to offering foods that are earth, body and community friendly. In support of that position, we are committed to the following initiatives:
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
As part of Compass Group, Flik has a long-standing commitment to environmental protection. Through a variety of innovative programs and policies, we work closely with the communities of which we are a part to reduce the impact our operations have on the world around us. This focus on recycling, resource conservation, and waste reduction not only helps us operate more efficiently. It also lets us ensure that the resources we use today will be available for future generations.
School Gardens and Composting
Sustainability is a great concept, but it's even better when you can actually watch your food grow. To help students better understand the relationship between the farm and the dining room, we partner with the school community in various ways to make this connection. Our successful projects range from traditional raised bed gardens to composting piles! Another fun and engaging way to demonstrate this relationship is by taking a look at the future. A Verti-Gro sustainable hydroponics growing system, installed in our accounts, brings the cultivation of edible foods onto the school's campus. This system allows the school community to watch plants grow from seed to edible plant to be used in the dining room.
Environmental Sustainability
Slow Food®
Founded in 1986, this international non-profit movement seeks to protect the foods we eat and the pleasures of dining against the homogenization of modern fast food and life. Through a variety of initiatives, Slow Food encourages us to develop a broad, inquisitive palette, and, at the same time, support the sustainable cultivation of biodiverse and artisanal foods. We incorporate many Slow Food initiatives into your dining hall in an effort to build a fun gastronomic culture of relaxed, delicious mealtimes.
Sustainable Oceans
Seafood Watch is a program of The Monterey Bay Aquarium designed to raise consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources. They recommend which seafood to buy or avoid, helping consumers to become advocates for environmentally friendly seafood.
We have been a part of the program since 2006 and all of our seafood is purchased in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seaford watch guidelines for sustainability. Flik is committed to protecting the threatened global fish supply. Our seafood choices allow fisheries to flourish over the long-term without jeopardizing the fish population or the surrounding ecosystem.
Certified Humane/Cage Free Eggs
Because of our commitment to the humane care of farm animals, we offer only Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) certified cage-free shell eggs nationwide.
Poultry produced without the routine use of human antibiotics
The non-therapeutic use of antibiotics in animal production is a growing public health concern because it decreases the effectiveness of antibiotics to treat diseases in humans. Therefore, we only serve chicken that has been produced with restricted use of these drugs, especially as a growth additive in feed. Our contracted suppliers are required to provide products which adhere to specific criteria developed in partnership with The Environmental Defense Fund.
rBGH Free Milk
Science and experience has clearly demonstrated that the use of artificial bovine growth hormones in dairy cows is detrimental to the well-being of the animal. The medical community has expressed apprehension that the use of these hormones may also be harmful to human health. Due to these concerns, we serve only fresh fluid milk from cows that have been certified to be free of the artificial growth hormones rBGH/rBST where available and commit to a 100% implementation by 2010.
Waste Reduction
Food waste throughout the food system is responsible for an enormous amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Organic matter, especially food scrap, is a big contributor to methane gas formation in landfills, a greenhouse gas 23 times more potent than carbon dioxide in trapping heat close to the earth's surface. We are working extensively to reduce food waste matter by implementing a proprietary waste reduction program in our schools.
Packaging from plant based renewable resource:
Packaging itself is not sustainable unless it is an element of a sustainable waste stream management system. Therefore, we offer our school districts a program of disposable packaging made entirely from renewable resources and support our school districts in efforts to establish capture systems and partner with a sustainable waste management and/or recycling service(s).
Social and Ecological Certified Coffee
Coffee production can have a tremendous impact on the social and environmental well being of the countries where it is produced. Responsible production methods are certified in a variety of ways including fair trade, organic and others. We encourage our clients to offer Fair Trade coffee brands.
