Sustainable food

Solent is committed to being a socially responsible and environmentally conscientious organisation with specific targets relating to food production, storage and food waste reduction.

You can read the sustainable food policy online here.

Sodexo

Our contract partner, Sodexo Education Ltd provides the catering operation across its sites - they work in partnership with Solent to help us deliver against our environmental and ethical commitments. 

As a global leader in sustainable food, Sodexo recognises its responsibility to influence dietary choices that drive a more sustainable future.

The company has pledged that by 2030, 70% of its main dishes across its UK and Ireland sites will be classified as low-carbon, with a target carbon footprint of just 0.9kg CO2e - well below today's average of 2-2.5kg CO2e. Additionally, Sodexo committed to cutting their 2024 food waste total by 50% in 2025.

As part of their ongoing commitment to being an ethical and environmentally friendly organisation in their own right, Sodexo has achieved a number of awards and accreditations, including a nomination for the Green Gown 22/23 Awards for their Cooked Fresh initiative, you can find more information each accreditation on the places to eat and shop page.

They include the Good Egg Award for using only free-range eggs which ensure higher welfare standards for laying hens, serving Rainforest Alliance certified coffee on campus, and MSC certification, ensuring that all fish and seafood is responsibly sourced.

Veganuary

In January 2026 Solent, with its contract partner, Sodexo, supported the charity Veganuary by promoting the January challenge and encouraging staff and students to explore plant-based options. By signing up, individuals receive meal plans, recipes and a daily coaching email to help them, as well as access to a celebrity cookbook.

Water refill stations

Drinking water refill points are located across campus as part of our commitment to reducing single-use plastics. Click on the map to find your nearest refill point in any of our buildings on the main campus.