What is a “sustainable” food
system?
A sustainable food system promotes the
healthy use and preservation of the
land and sea with practices that
guarantee the same for future
generations.
What are examples of
“sustainable” practices?
Sustainable practices minimize
or eliminate the use of chemical inputs and
promote healthier environmental
conditions for the planet and people.
Are the words sustainable
and organic synonymous?
“Sustainable” and “Organic” are not the same.
Organic is only one element on the spectrum
of a sustainable food system.
There are a variety of important
socio-economic and ethical issues that are
not addressed by the USDA Organic
Certified criteria.
What socio-economic and
ethical issues extend beyond
“Organic”?
Some of the socio-economic and ethical issues
that extend beyond “Organic” are:
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Protection of biodiversity
Security of local food sheds
Support of fair working conditions
Humane treatment of animals
Preservation of local and regional flavors
Economic viability of communities
What is our commitment to
“local” purchasing?
We actively seek local growers and encourage
our units to support them whenever possible.
Our efforts to “buy local” have strengthened
more than 1000 family farm operations
across the US.
Our Goal is to develop partnerships with 2013
American Family Farms by 2013
10 Reasons to Buy Local
1.
*Local food just plain tastes better
*Courtesy of EatLocalChallenge.com
10 Reasons to Buy Local
2. Better for you
Studies show that produce loses nutrients
quickly. The more miles from the farm to your
table, the lower the nutrient content.
10 Reasons to Buy Local
3. Preserves variety and genetic diversity
Local family farms produce unique varieties
not found in typical supermarkets.
10 Reasons to Buy Local
4. It’s about the future
By supporting local family farmers today, you
help ensure that there will be farms in your
community tomorrow, and that future
generations will have access to nourishing,
flavorful, and abundant food.
10 Reasons to Buy Local
5. Environmental protection
Local family farmers appreciate and respect
the value of fertile soil, clean air and
unpolluted water.
10 Reasons to Buy Local
6. Support local farm families
….which means the families can afford to stay
on the farm, doing the work they love.
10 Reasons to Buy Local
7. *Buying locally grown food is fodder
for a wonderful story
Whether it’s the farmer who brings apples to
market or the baker who makes bread,
knowing part of the story about your food is
such a powerful part of enjoying a meal.
*Courtesy of EatLocalChallenge.com
10 Reasons to Buy Local
8. *Eating local means more for
the local economy
According to a New Economics Foundation
study, A dollar spent locally generates twice
as much income for the local economy. When
businesses are not owned locally, money
leaves the community at every transaction.
*Courtesy of EatLocalChallenge.com
10 Reasons to Buy Local
9. *Locally grown fruits and vegetables
have longer to ripen
Because the produce will be handled less,
locally grown fruit does not have to be
“rugged” to stand up to the rigors of
shipping.
*Courtesy of EatLocalChallenge.com
10 Reasons to Buy Local
10. *Supporting local providers supports
responsible land development
When you buy local, you give those with local
open space-farms and pastures-an economic
reason to stay open and undeveloped.
*Courtesy of EatLocalChallenge.com
Do sustainability concerns
only apply to the land?
Rivers and oceans are also critical elements
of our ecosystem.
Agricultural practices can significantly
impact the health of rivers and oceans.
Are the vast oceans “really”
running out of seafood?
Scientific studies suggest that if we continue
to fish at the current rate, much of the wild
seafood population will be eliminated by
2050.
What are some of the
factors associated with
dwindling seafood
populations?
A few of the factors contributing to dwindling
seafood populations are:
• Advanced technologies that enable fishing in
great quantities
• Up to 44 billion pounds of species that were
not meant to be caught (by-catch) are
thrown back “dead” into the oceans each
year.
Is farmed seafood the answer
to sustainably meeting
demand?
Eco-friendly farmed seafood can be
part of the answer.
Most farmed catfish, trout and shellfish are
sustainably raised; much farmed salmon and
shrimp has proven to be
environmentally destructive.
Should I refrain from
eating wild seafood?
You CAN (and should) eat seafood!!
It is a good source of protein, mono and
polyunsaturated fats (the good fats).
Just opt for sustainable species.
Learn about “Best” choices at
Seafoodwatch.org.
What is sustainable
seafood?
Our partners at the Seafood Watch program
define sustainable seafood as:
…from sources, either fished or farmed, that
can maintain or increase production into the
long-term without jeopardizing the affected
ecosystems.
What is our position on
sustainable seafood?
We are committed to protecting the
threatened global fish supply.
Annually we have purchased over 10 million
pounds of sustainable seafood.
Our work with the aquaculture supply chain and
the Monterey Bay Aquarium has resulted in
the first sustainably certified farmed salmon
and shrimp
Our Goal is to: Remove 500,000 pounds of
unsustainable aquaculture by the year 2013
Why should I be concerned
about antibiotics being fed to
chickens?
Research suggests that overuse of antibiotics
in livestock, usually as a growth promoter,
can be a cause of antibiotic resistance
in humans.
What is our position on the
routine use of antibiotics in
animal feed?
We prohibit the purchase of
non processed chicken products in which
antibiotics have been used for growth
promotion purposes.
Our purchasing policy
was developed in partnership with
The Environmental Defense Fund.
What is the difference
between conventional eggs
and eggs produced in a
“cage-free” environment?
Cage-free eggs support animal welfare
Each caged (conventional) bird has
less space than a single sheet of paper
on which to live.
Cage-free hens generally have 250-300
percent more space per bird and are able to
engage in more of their natural behaviors
than are caged hens.
What is our position on
cage-free eggs?
In 2007, we implemented a
cage-free shell egg policy which requires all units
to offer shell eggs that are certified by the Humane
Farm Animal Care Program.
Our cage-free shell egg policy will significantly
improve the welfare of over 175,000 chickens
per year.
What is our position on
sustainable coffee?
We support a variety of certified coffee
production methods:
• Fair Trade
• Shade Grown
• Organic
Compass has adopted the coffee community of
Miramar, Mexico.
We provide continued funds to help them build a
stronger agriculture and health infrastructures.
What is our position on
Customer Nutrition,
Health & Wellness?
We recognize that the food we serve can have a
significant impact on the health and well being of our
customers.
Our Balanced and Meeting Well initiatives provide a variety
of healthful options and educational tools that encourage
our customers to make healthier dining, catering and
vending choices.
Our Goals are to:
*Introduce Meeting Well to 50% of eligible clients by 2010
*Engage all suppliers to meet specific targets set forth in our
position papers on trans fat, sodium, portion size and
providing nutrition information
How are we addressing
the obesity issue?
• Focuses on moderation and variety
• Promotes reasonable portion sizes
• Identifies foods moderate in calories, fat
and sodium
• Provides solutions for dining, vending and
catering
What are we doing to
ensure the health of our
employees?
Our Meeting Well catering initiative, in partnership with the
American Cancer Society, promotes healthful meals,
breaks and exercise time for all internal meetings.
We encourage unit level managers to engage our
associates and promote a healthy lifestyle as a team
effort.
Our Goals are to:
*Realize a 10% year over year increase in associate participation in
our Annual Physicals, Breast Cancer and Colon Cancer
Screening programs
*Use Meeting Well guidelines for 80% of all
internal meetings by 2010
Healthy Nutrition Facts
For a truly whole grain bread, choose options
with labels that use the word “whole” in the
name, such as “100% whole wheat,” “whole
wheat,” or “whole grain.”
Look for the many whole grain options
available in our café’s every day
“Not-so-healthy”
Nutrition Facts
A 20 oz. bottle of Coca-Cola has the
equivalent of 26 sugar cubes.
Look for our many “No Added Sugar” and zero
calorie beverages if you are managing your
weight
What is a Superfood?
A Superfood has
health benefits
above and beyond
standard nutrients.
We celebrate a
different Superfood
each month in our
cafes
What is Portion Distortion?
Portion sizes have increased substantially
in the past 20-30 years.
In 1988, a bagel averaged 140 calories,
today’s bagel averages 350 calories!
A cheeseburger in 1988 was 333 calories,
today’s average is 590!
An extra 100 calories per day can result in an
additional 10 lbs weight gain per year!