Chartwells Higher Ed 'sets the tone' as the first college foodservice provider to track elusive Scope 3 carbon emissionsChartwells Higher Ed 'sets the tone' as the first college foodservice provider to track elusive Scope 3 carbon emissions

Many foodservice operations track their Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions, but Scope 3 is often left out. While Scope 1 and 2 measure the operations’ direct emissions, Scope 3 is more challenging to measure as it encompasses indirect emissions, produced throughout the supply chain. But Scope 3 emissions do have a major impact and tracking them can be very valuable in improving the sustainability of operations.

And Chartwells, with the help of sustainable food rating company HowGood, is up for the challenge. Recently, the foodservice provider established itself as the first college and university foodservice provider to track Scope 3 emissions. The company is using HowGood’s Carbon Trust-verified carbon footprinting methodology to embark on this task.

Now, Chartwells Higer Education’s college sites throughout the country will have the capability to track all of their carbon emissions, including Scope 3.

"This is a pivotal moment for us and the industry, and we are proud to be leading the charge for Scope 3 emissions tracking for campus dining operations," said Monalisa Prasad, vice president of sustainability at Chartwells Higher Education, in a statement. "Scope 3 emissions data plays such an important role in helping universities reduce their carbon footprint and meet their sustainability targets, and we're thrilled to work side-by-side with these universities to make a real, measurable impact."

HowGood has made a splash in all realms of foodservice, partnering with foodservice players like Chipotle, Sysco and Nestle on climate labeling, which provides more insight as to the environmental impact of the meal. And Chartwells Higher Ed was the first to bring that climate labeling to college campuses, in 2022.

Thew new initiative is raising the standard on sustainable foodservice and encouraging colleges and universities to look deeper at their environmental impact.

"Chartwells has been setting the tone for the industry's approach to sustainability for years," said Christina Lampert, director of growth and innovation at HowGood. "From their groundbreaking transparency in climate labeling, commitment to holistic impact metrics beyond carbon, and their more recent tackling of Scope 3 emissions tracking, HowGood has been proud to support a partner who values granular, accurate data and cross-functional prioritization of sustainability. This level of leadership and innovation is what will enable significant impact reduction."