ISS has partnered with the non-profit World Resources Institute (WRI) to introduce new, low-carbon menu options into primary school menus at sites it serves in the UK.
Thee initiative will build on the integrated facilities services company's status as the first organisation globally to launch Coolfood-certified low-carbon meals in secondary school settings in 2024, with ISS expanding its plant-rich meals offering to more than 50,000 meals daily in almost 200 UK primary schools at locations including the London boroughs of Barnet, Ealing, Redbridge and Southwark.
Coolfood uses science-based methods to help food service providers around the world lower the climate impact of the billions of meals they serve annually.
ISS first signed up to the Coolfood Pledge in 2023, and began offering meals across a range of industries that boast a 38% lower carbon emission rate than the average school dish.
The innovative, plant-rich meals have been thoughtfully designed by ISS and Coolfood with young palates in mind, transforming everyday school lunches into a delightful adventure of vibrant flavours and fun, kid-approved recipes while educating children about low-carbon choices to foster sustainable habits from an early age.
In keeping with ISS’s ‘Small change, big impact’ approach, the meals demonstrate how simple it is to make significant changes by effortlessly swapping choices, reducing the climate footprint of schools, and inspiring young people to help build a more sustainable future.
Now, ISS menus will feature the Coolfood badge to help students quickly spot low-carbon options, empowering them to make these planet-friendly decisions for themselves seamlessly.
Zuzana Toth Orbanova, Brand Manager for Education at ISS UK & Ireland, tells FM Magazine: “We’re thrilled to be building on our longstanding partnership with Coolfood by launching certified low carbon, plant rich meals in primary schools in the UK.
It is incredibly exciting to be delivering an industry first through these meals in education, and we’re proud to now introduce even younger students to learnings on sustainable food.
With millions of school meals served every day, the lunch hall is a powerful place to shape habits, spark change, and celebrate flavour.
“This initiative will above all help to reduce the climate footprint of schools and empower young people to help build a more sustainable future through the choices they make.
We’re delighted with initial feedback and can’t wait to bring such a wide variety of delicious, plant-rich, and expertly crafted recipes to school tables nationwide.”
Coolfood Head, Jenny Arthur, says: “Food is one of the most powerful tools we have to tackle climate change, and for young people in the UK, that change can start in the school canteen.
With millions of school meals served every day, the lunch hall is a powerful place to shape habits, spark change, and celebrate flavour.
"Through this initiative, ISS and Coolfood are making sure the planet-friendly choices happen seamlessly so kids can just do what they do best: have fun and enjoy their school lunch.
It’s an exciting step towards a new standard for sustainable, climate-friendly mealtimes across the education sector, one that is also delicious, diverse, and nutritious.”
The menus will officially launch across applicable primary schools in the UK on 3rd November.
