Previous Version: ILMA/PM/17-19/ADMN/X61
New version: ILMA/PM/19-22/ADMN/XX61
Policy Created: March 09, 2017
Policy Reviewed: March 12, 2019

AIM

The ILMA University recognizes its responsibility for the provision of healthy and sustainable food to our staff, students, and visitors in the campus. This policy sets out the University’s intentions to minimize the impact of its food related operations on the environment, and to promote sustainable practices and consumption.

Scope of the Policy

• This policy applies to the cafeteria(s) and other food outlets in departments and campus(s) of the University.
• All suppliers will be expected to assist the university in meeting the sustainable food management policy.
• The policy applies to all aspects of sustainable food, including procurement, preparation, provision, food waste and waste management and education.

Policy Statement

• Ensure availability of food choices for all on campus, including vegetarian and vegan food. • Ensure the availability of affordable food options in the cafeteria(s) at subsidized rates. • Reduce the consumption of dairy products.
• Promote the consumption of more plant-based foods.
• Reduce food wastage.
• Source food and other products locally whenever possible.
• Communicate the commitment to sustainable food to customers, staff and suppliers.
• Do not sell any single use plastic bottles and reduce the use of all plastic packaging.
• Continue to implement forward thinking sustainability best practice.
• Monitor performance against policy aims, including of setting sustainable food targets, and reporting regularly on performance against these.
• Examine this policy bi-annually (every other year) and amend targets.
• Work with suppliers to progress our sustainability agenda including incorporating this policy as part of the contract documentation for all preferred Food suppliers and contracted caterers.
• Engage with other operators on University sites including outside caterers and departments not provided for by the University cafeteria(s), to encourage adoption of this policy and its objectives.

Roles and responsibilities

• The University has a responsibility to procure food in a sustainable manner in accordance with its environmental sustainability vision, policy and strategy.
• The Head(s) of Administration has overall responsibility for the implementation of this policy in all departments and campus(s).
• Responsibilities include application of the principles and practical delivery of this policy within the departments and campus(s).

Targets

• Minimize the food wastage • Ensure meals choice for all, including vegetarian and vegan.
• Ensure availability of affordable meal options at subsidized rates
• Ensure Cleanliness and hygiene of the cafeteria.
• Ensure food recycling

Key Performance Indicators

• Carbon emissions per kilo of food procured (kgs of carbon per kg of food procured).
• Carbon emissions from food per Rupee revenue.
• Carbon emissions from food per transaction.
• Kilograms of meat and dairy purchased as a proportion of total food purchased.
• Proportion of plant-based meals served.
• Kilograms of food waste generated.
• Number of single use takeaway disposables used.
• Life cycle impact per kilo food purchased (specifically carbon and where possible land use, water use and other environmental metrics).

Implementation of Sustainable Food Action Plan 2021-2022

• Communication and engagement
• Spread the awareness of this policy through newsletters, websites and intranets, and other University publications. Encourage its adoption by all campus(s), departments and outside caterers as well.
• Conduct workshops, seminars and other events to promote healthy eating and sustainable food procurement, including vegan options.
• Include a requirement for adherence to this policy in all new projects (including new cafeteria(s) and supplier contracts).
• Engaging with suppliers to better understand their supply chains and to support our suppliers in their own sustainable procurement of food items.
• Share the policy and its results with external stakeholders through awards entries, articles and other promotional activities.

Cafeteria Management

• Cafeteria(s) staff must be adequately trained and supervised
• On-campus dining options must be available for everyone, including vegetarian and vegan options
• Promote and encourage healthy food choices.
• Ensure food recycling.
Energy
• Any new or replacement cooking/catering equipment should seek to provide efficiencies in energy consumption.
• Conduct energy audits to identify ways to reduce consumption within cafeteria(s).
• Educate and train cafeteria staff for energy saving.

Fish
• Minimize the consumption of fish.
• While procuring the fish or other food from aquatic environment investigate properly about the capture method of that particular product, with an aim to purchase more sustainable alternatives, wherever possible.
• Use variety of different species of white fish to reduce pressure on sensitive stocks.

Fairly Traded Products
• Ensure that every product used in campus(s) is fairly traded across the supply chains.

Fruit and vegetables
• Aim to develop menus which make use of seasonal fruit and vegetables, where practically possible.
• Source fruit and vegetables from local suppliers where possible.
• Where possible procure fruit and vegetables from low impact production systems.
• Consider the feasibility of growing fruit and vegetables on the University land.

Plastics and Packaging
• Eliminate the use of non-recyclable plastics and reduce the use of all single use disposable items. Using compostable options where this is impossible.
• Encourage our suppliers to go plastic-free.
• Increase awareness in the community to move away from single use non-recyclable plastic.
• ILMA University will continue to minimize the single use of plastic bottles for beverages and water.
Furthermore, plastic free options such as cans, glass or compostable bottles will be used.

Water
• Make arrangements and educate relevant employees to reduce the water usage in the kitchen.
• Ensure availability of clean drinking water in all the buildings and campus(s) of ILMA University.

Products
• In order reduce environmental effect, eco-friendly cleansers and detergents will be used.

Research
• Work with the research department to carry out research linked to food sustainability, for improving monitoring, performance and impacts over time.

Food Waste Management
• Aim to achieve a significant reduction in waste in all cafeteria operations.
• Monitor food waste records in order to assess portion size and therefore implement portion control sizes to avoid unnecessary waste.
• Ensure waste issues are on the agenda at yearly meetings.
• For on-going measurement, relevant departments must maintain daily logs of separated food waste, covering three areas including kitchen and production waste, prep waste, plate waste from customers, service waste and spoilage waste.
• Review data at the end of the year to determine patterns.
• Implement waste minimization plans and develop improved procedures, rules, or menus.
• Examine menus to find and eliminate items that are commonly wasted.
• Ensure food recycling.
• Timely send the oil for recycling.
• Reduce use of cooking oil.
• Conduct food waste awareness drives, workshops and seminars with both staff, students and general public.

Action Plan for food insecurity and hunger
1. The University’s body of administration department is responsible for identifying and resolving all issues pertaining to food insecurity. Students who show any signs of hunger will be treated with the utmost priority by the body of administration department.
2. The University encourages the staff and students to volunteer to charitable causes and events that tackle directly or indirectly issues pertaining to food insecurity and hunger.
3. The University encourages the event organizers to not dispose of food items but to donate them to people in need, within and out of the University.
4. The University encourage academics to engage in community services. The community services comprise of decisions and actions that tackle issues of food insecurity and hunger directly or indirectly.
5. ILMA University shall conduct seminars and workshops to counter the food insecurity and hunger in the society.

Definition
Sustainable Food: Food that is produced, processed, distributed and disposed of in ways that:
• It contributes to the thriving sustainable livelihoods and local economies, in Pakistan and in producer countries (in the case of imported products).
• Protect the diversity of both plants and animals and the welfare of farmed and wild species,
• Avoid damaging or wasting natural resources or contributing to climate change;
• Provide social benefits, such as good quality food, safe and healthy products, and educational opportunities.

Fairly Traded
This concerns companies/products which are not officially registered as Fairtrade by the certification standard but that do take into account their environmental and social impact.

Fairtrade
Fairtrade is about better prices, decent working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world. By requiring companies to pay sustainable prices (which must never fall lower than the market price), Fairtrade addresses the injustices of conventional trade, which traditionally discriminates against the poorest, weakest producers.

Low Impact Food Production Approach where farmers work with, not against nature, and where nature is integrated into farming. It uses ecosystem-based approaches often requiring more knowledge and labour per hectare than those based on chemical inputs—running contrary to monoculture and standard production.

Prep Waste
Waste generated as a by-product of the preparation of meals

Spoilage Waste
This is food waste that has been thrown by employees and is completely under the responsibility of Cafeteria Staff. Trim waste, Overproduction waste, spoiling, overdone products, contaminated, expiration, and dropped items are all included.

Service Leftovers
This is food that has been cooked and is ready to serve, but has not yet been served to customers. It cannot be used again after being reheated as part of a batch-cooking process. The most effective way to reduce this is to correctly identify sale or uptake volumes.

Plate Waste
Food that has been prepared and is ready to serve but has not yet been served to clients. It can't be used again after being reheated as part of a batch-cooking process. Correct identification of sale or uptake volumes is the greatest way to minimize this.

AIM
This Sustainable Procurement Policy Was Created to Ensure That All University Staff Involved in the Procurement of Goods and Services Recognize How Their Procurement Decisions Can Help to Improve and Protect Our Shared Environment. Moreover, They Can Also Contribute to Society's Health and Well-being, and Build a Sustainable Economy.

Scope Of Policy
ILMA University’s Sustainable Procurement Policy Applies to Anybody Who Specifies and Purchases Items and Services on Behalf of the Ilma University and Thus to All Commercial Expenditure, Regardless of Funding Source.

Policy Statement
• The ILMA University's Procurement Strategy Must Comply With the Commitment to Reduce Carbon Footprint and Evaluate the Environmental and Social Impact of Our Actions.
• All Procurement Decisions Must Apply the Principles of the Circular Economy by Incorporating Ethical, Sustainable, and Life Cycle Concerns.
• Promote the Waste Hierarchy of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
• Encourage People to Use Ethical Vendors and Supply Chains.
• Incorporate Circular Economy Principles Into Product and Service Purchase, Usage, and Disposal to Reduce Negative Environmental Impacts.
• Ensure That Existing Assets and Resources Are Used to Their Full Potential.
• Identify Opportunities for Long-term Solutions by Collecting and Reporting on Appropriate KPIs.
• Raise Awareness and Make Sure That Environmental, Social, and Whole-life Cost Criteria Are Considered When Determining the Greatest Value for Money and Making Purchase Decisions.
• Promote the Specification and Selection of Products and Services That Have a Low Environmental Effect While Also Having a Positive Influence on Society and the Economy.
• Develop Excellent Practice Through Relevant Networks, Benchmarking, and Training, and Communicate the Sustainable Procurement Policy to Its Staff, Students, Contractors, and Suppliers.
• Promote Best Sustainable Procurement Practices by Easing the Information Accessibility and Availability to All.
• Conduct Seminars and Workshops for the Awareness of the Community Related Sustainable Procurement Practices.

Policy Related to Contractors and Suppliers
• Observe National and International Environmental and Human Rights Norms, and Promote a Strategic Approach to Long-term Development and Progress.
• Encourage Local, Regional, Sme, and Ethnic Minority Vendors to Compete for University Business, and Remove Entry Obstacles.
• Adopt Sustainable Techniques to Product and Service Production, as well as Within Their Supplier Chains, Including Efforts to Reduce Packaging Waste
• Take Constructive Actions to Improve Performance for Achieving Sustainability Objectives by Considering the Social, Economic, and Environmental Implications of Their Products, Services, and Operations.
• Educate the Supplier Market on the Ilma University's Sustainability Policies, Aims, and Aspirations.

Definition
Circular Economy: It is a Production and Consumption Model, Which Involves Sharing, Reusing, Refurbishing, Repairing, and Recycling Existing Products and Materials as Much as Possible. In This Way, the Life Cycle of Products is Extended. In Practice, It Implies Reducing Waste to a Minimum.

Title	Publications Partnerships	Journal Name	Articles
How Agricultural Technologies and Climatic Factors Affect India's Crop Production? A Roadmap Towards Sustainable Agriculture	National Institute of Technology, India; Aligarh Muslim University, India; National Institute of Technology, India	Sustainable Development	Article Link
Information and Communication Technology Deployment and Agricultural Value Chain Nexus in Nigeria	Covenant University, Nigeria; Federal University of Technology, Nigeria	Heliyon	Article Link
Causality and Interdependencies Among Sustainable Development Goals: Assessing the Nexus of Agriculture, Environment, and Finance Development	Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China; Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China	Environmental Science and Pollution Research	Article Link
Green Economy and Food Security in Africa	Universiti Tenega Nasional (UNITEN), Malaysia; University of Cape Coast, Ghana; Nanchang Institute of Technology, China; Covenant University, Nigeria	Environment, Development and Sustainability	Article Link
Poverty Prevalence and Negative Spillovers in Sub-Saharan Africa: a Focus on Extreme and Multidimensional Poverty in the Region	Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria; University of Eldoret, Eldoret, Kenya	International Journal of Emerging Markets	Article Link

ILMA University has launched a pioneering initiative — the Campus Food Bank — to combat food insecurity among students and underserved communities in Karachi. This impactful program highlights the University’s commitment to ensuring equitable access to nutrition, health, and well-being. The Campus Food Bank provides essential food supplies to students from low-income backgrounds as well as local families in need, ensuring that no one within the University’s reach goes hungry. By establishing a sustainable and reliable source of nutritional support, ILMA University takes a meaningful step toward achieving Zero Hunger at both the institutional and community level. The initiative is powered by the collective efforts of faculty, staff, and student volunteers, who contribute through donations, resource management, and service hours. Their active participation reflects ILMA University’s culture of empathy, volunteerism, and social responsibility. Through the Campus Food Bank, ILMA University continues to strengthen its role as a compassionate, community-driven institution, advancing the goal of Zero Hunger and ensuring that no one is left behind.

ILMA University students organized a community awareness drive focused on nutrition and hunger at an underserved school in Korangi Creek. The initiative aimed to educate children and their families about the importance of healthy eating, food security, and the fight against malnutrition, reflecting the University’s ongoing commitment to Sustainable Development Goal

2: Zero Hunger.

The awareness campaign addressed the growing challenges of hunger and poor nutrition in disadvantaged communities. By directly engaging with schoolchildren, ILMA University students created an interactive platform to share practical knowledge about balanced diets, the importance of breakfast, and the connection between nutrition, academic performance, and overall well-being. The participating students expressed their resolve to continue similar outreach efforts in the future, noting that the experience not only helped raise awareness but also enhanced their empathy, leadership, and community engagement skills. Through initiatives like this, ILMA University continues to promote sustainability, compassion, and social responsibility, inspiring youth to play an active role in building a hunger-free and healthier society.

ILMA University has introduced a Food Assistance Desk on campus, dedicated to supporting students facing food insecurity. The initiative demonstrates the University’s strong commitment to ensuring that financial challenges never compromise a student’s right to education and well-being. The Food Assistance Desk will provide immediate nutritional support to needy students by distributing free meals, ration packages, and essential groceries. This service is designed to ease the burden of rising living costs while allowing students to focus on their academic goals without the stress of hunger. Operated in collaboration with student volunteers and staff, the desk will function as a confidential, student-friendly space where individuals can request assistance without hesitation. This thoughtful approach ensures dignity and respect for students seeking support.

Demonstrating its commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger, ILMA University has introduced a Staff Meal Support Program to ensure that every member of its workforce has access to nutritious and affordable meals. This initiative reflects the University’s values of care, inclusivity, and community well-being. The Staff Meal Support Program is designed to provide subsidized or free meals to university staff, particularly those belonging to lower-income groups. Through this program, ILMA ensures that financial challenges do not hinder the health and productivity of its dedicated employees. Student societies and volunteers have also extended their support by assisting in program logistics and contributing through fundraising activities. Their involvement showcases ILMA’s culture of shared responsibility and compassion.

ILMA University has launched a series of Nutritional Awareness Sessions aimed at educating students about healthy eating habits, balanced diets, and sustainable food practices. This initiative reflects the University’s commitment to promoting long-term food security and student well-being. The sessions are designed to address the growing challenges of poor dietary habits, rising junk food consumption, and lack of awareness regarding nutrition among young people. By equipping students with practical knowledge, the program ensures they can make informed choices for their health and future. Led by qualified nutritionists, healthcare experts, and faculty members, the sessions cover topics such as the importance of a balanced diet, the role of micronutrients, food hygiene, and the impact of malnutrition. Practical demonstrations, interactive discussions, and awareness campaigns make the sessions engaging and effective.