Cultural/Social Initiatives

Education

Recycling 101

Assisted students by providing education and awareness re proper recycling process.

Although turning off our lights for an hour won't stop climate change, it does demonstrate that our actions are important and that every little change adds up to make a big difference. Every year, Hospitality Services staff are encouraged to participate both operationally and personally; it can be as simple as flicking off a switch - literally. In all our locations across campus, all non-essential lighting is turned off and equipment is unplugged in recognition of Earth Hour.

Each year, on/around Earth Day, members of the Hospitality Services team don their "gardening" gloves, grab their pokers and garbage bags, and head outside to help clean up the area around their buildings. Generally this event comes in early spring and as the snow retreats, a lot of garbage is exposed.

It is critical to provide all staff with the education and awareness required to enable them to do their jobs well - and safely. Staff training initiatives include:

• First Aid Training
• MSD Training
• AODA Training
• Respectful Workplace Training
• WHMIS
• Basic Kitchen Skills
• Smart-Serve Training
• Health & Safety staff training
• Basic Food Handling Certification

Food Safety

Food safety must always remain front and centre for any food service operator.

Although basic hand washing is still the best way to eliminate the spread of communicable diseases, water-free hand sanitizers have been installed in all kitchens and serveries/dining rooms for the use by both staff and guests to our operations.

The colour-coded cutting board system used across campus is yet another way to prevent cross-contamination in food prep areas.

A third party Food Safety audit company, Steritech, has been contracted to fully inspect all Hospitality Services operations twice per year. Program standards are based primarily on the Food Retail & Food Services Coke, internationally accepted benchmarks, and industry best practices.

Hospitality Services' HACCP good operating practices which ensure a high level of food safety, include:

• Keeping samples of all prepared foods for a period of seven days
• Hot and cold temperature checks throughout the receiving, cooking and serving process of the food
• Daily and weekly cleaning checklists, etc.
• Our Ivey location is testing a web-based, hand-held paperless tracking system to further enhance our food safety program.

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles

A healthy, balance lifestyle is important for all members of the Western community - students, staff and faculty.

Hospitality Services is pleased (and lucky) to have our own Nutrition Manager on staff who is available to answer any food-related questions or concerns that may arise for students and staff. Free nutrition counseling is available by appointment; for more information visit our nutrition website.

Residence Dining features a six-week residence menu cycle developed to reflect Canada's Food Guide, where whole grain breads and cereals, dark green and orange vegetables and fruit, lower-fat milk products and leaner meats, poultry, fish and legumes are incorporated into each day's menu.

• Ingredients are listed on daily menus and nutritional analysis for the various menu items are available online.
• New easy to identify menu icons in Residence allow students to make quick & easy selections.

Content To come...

The University of Western Ontario was deemed the fourth most vegetarian-friendly university in Canada. Sixteen finalists were selected among Canadian universities to complete in a round-robin contest where students, staff and faculty were asked to vote. The goal of Hospitality Services is to continue to develop new and innovative vegetarian and vegan options across campus. Thirty percent of items on the residence menu are either vegan or meatless. Geared to appeal to the vegetarian and omnivore guest, these surprisingly healthy items are sure to please even the most discriminate of pallet.

Nutrition Kiosk

A Nutrition Kiosk was introduced in the UCC Centre Spot dining room to provide our Campus Eateries guests with convenient access to nutrition information related to many of the franchise locations, thereby enabling them to make informed food choices.

• Hospitality Services recognizes the importance of staying/getting more active. Physical activity is encouraged through a variety of departmental events and opportunities such as a departmental baseball team, family ice skating, bowling events, family BBQ which includes games and activities for all ages, and a fitness break during various departmental meetings and start-up conferences.
• All Hospitality Services staff have access to the Campus Recreation facilities on campus. Staff memberships are reasonably priced.
• Free ice skating is available over lunch, at TRAC.
• Fitness sessions specifically geared towards Hospitality Services staff have also been hosted in the past.

Sustainability Central

In an effort to enhance and increase general awareness of the Hospitality Services Recycling program, Sustainability Central has been introduced. This is a highly visible program which has greatly impacted the recycling efforts in the units hosting these stations.