Climate labeling is correlated with demand for low-carbon meals, Chartwells Higher Education finds

Results from Chartwells Higher Education’s partnership with HowGood show that climate labeling may be correlated with more sustainable choices. Last year, the foodservice provider teamed up with HowGood, a sustainability intelligence company, to launch carbon labeling on the campuses it serves.

"The feedback so far from students and campus partners has been overwhelmingly positive. We're continuing to improve the program by offering a broader range of low-impact menu options and making positive impacts easier to understand through measures like simplified iconography,” said Monalisa Prasad, director of sustainability at Chartwells Higher Education.

Now, the two revealed that after launching the partnership, students demand for low-impact meals increased. Chartwells reported a 37% increase in the production of recipes that received positive ratings from HowGood. In addition, in Fall 2022, less than a third of Chartwells’ recipes received positive HowGood scores. Now, 44% of recipes menued nationwide received a positive rating, according to a statement.

In addition, Chartwells’ culinary team is using HowGood’s proprietary digital program, called Latis, to improve recipes on their greenhouse gas emissions reducing potential.

"When Chartwells brought us the idea of adding climate labels to the dining halls, we were immediately sold; it was the exact kind of innovative and sustainably-focused thinking we've come to expect from Chartwells," said Julie Bannister, assistant vice chancellor of auxiliary services, at The University of Pittsburgh, in a statement. "Our university's goal is to be carbon neutral by 2037, and we're thankful to have a foodservice partner that not only helps us achieve that goal but empowers our students to make their own decisions that are better for the planet."