TUCO (The University Caterers Organisation) has taken a significant step towards sustainability in the higher education sector by partnering with My Emissions. This collaboration aims to integrate comprehensive carbon emissions calculations, labelling, and reporting functionalities directly into TUCO Online, its established e-procurement platform utilised by universities and colleges across the UK.

Currently serving nearly 50 universities and over 600 sites, TUCO Online streamlines procurement processes, menu planning, recipe management, and allergen tracking, while boasting a library of more than 30,000 recipes alongside nearly ten million items purchased annually. According to Matthew Isaacs, co-founder of My Emissions, this partnership represents a major advancement for sustainability in the industry. “By integrating our carbon calculations and labelling into TUCO Online, we’re putting emissions data in the hands of chefs, buyers, and sustainability teams,” he stated, highlighting the ease with which users can now access critical information to make environmentally conscious decisions.

The urgency to address food and drink emissions has intensified as universities seek to meet net zero targets amidst increasing climate awareness from students. With this integration, TUCO users can perform carbon footprint calculations for their menu offerings, utilise an A–E carbon rating system for labelling that can be displayed directly on menus, and access detailed dashboard insights to identify high-emission recipes and ingredients. TUCO CEO Mike Haslin expressed satisfaction with the partnership, noting its seamless integration into the existing platform, which enables catering teams to assess and adjust their menus efficiently.

This initiative is not entirely new for TUCO. In April 2018, the organisation launched a free online greenhouse gas calculator designed for caterers to evaluate the environmental impact of their menus, which included output for 207 different ingredients. This earlier tool laid the groundwork for the more integrated approach being introduced now. Meanwhile, similar efforts are emerging within the sector, such as recent partnerships between My Emissions and other food service platforms like Kafoodle, aiming to enhance sustainability through clear carbon labelling of meals.

Ella Shepherd, catering operations manager at Imperial College London, one of the first institutions to implement this integration, noted its significance for improving sustainability reporting. She remarked, “We want to empower students to make informed food choices through clear carbon labels, rather than imposing restrictions.” This approach embodies the shift towards encouraging mindful consumer behaviour in dining while emphasising transparency in sustainability efforts.

The sector's call for more rigorous emissions management has prompted innovations. For example, in July 2023, food tech start-up Dynamify launched a digital carbon labelling system in collaboration with sustainability software expert Klimato. This service not only tracks but also helps manage carbon footprints, enabling clients, including universities, to achieve notable reductions in emissions. Similar initiatives highlight a growing trend within the catering industry to adopt technologies that align with sustainability goals.

TUCO's latest partnership reflects a broader commitment across the education sector to improve environmental accountability. As institutions continue to grapple with sustainability challenges, the integration of tools that provide actionable insights into food emissions not only aids in compliance with institutional policies but also empowers students and staff to contribute actively toward reducing the carbon footprint associated with their dining choices.

In an era where climate action is urgent, TUCO's initiative can serve as a model for other sectors aiming to incorporate sustainability into their operational frameworks. The collaboration reflects not just an organisational milestone but also a collective movement among UK educational institutions to foster a more sustainable future.