Emory Dining

Emory University transformed its dining ecosystem into a national model for sustainability, public health, and ethical sourcing. Through a comprehensive, systems-level approach, Emory Dining aligned food operations with broader ESG priorities — environmental stewardship, social responsibility, governance, and community health — across campus and healthcare settings.

The Challenge

Institutions face increasing pressure to address the environmental impact of food systems, rising public health concerns linked to diet, lack of transparency in sourcing and supply chains, and growing demand for ethical, sustainable procurement.

Emory needed to operationalize sustainability at scale — across dining halls, hospitals, and campus life — while maintaining cost efficiency, engagement, and student satisfaction.

Emory implemented a multi-layered ESG framework centered on sourcing, education, infrastructure, and behavioral change.

1. Sustainable Procurement Framework

A structured sourcing model was developed based on four key pillars:

• Local and regional sourcing with Georgia and Southeast priority
• Sustainable farming practices including organic, fair trade, and humane standards
• Farm scale support prioritizing small and mid-size producers
• Ownership preference for independent farms and cooperatives

This framework balanced environmental responsibility with economic and operational realities — creating a scalable procurement model grounded in ESG principles.

2. Fair Trade & Ethical Sourcing

A major pillar of Emory's ESG strategy included a full transition to Fair Trade-certified coffee and tea across campus dining.

• Supports fair wages and democratic farmer cooperatives
• Reduces reliance on exploitative supply chains
• Encourages environmentally responsible agriculture
• Enables ethical consumption with minimal cost increase

This initiative reinforced Emory's leadership in global social responsibility and transparent sourcing.

3. "Eat the Seasons" Initiative

A flagship program integrating sustainability into everyday dining behavior through seasonal menus featuring Georgia-grown produce, partnerships with local farms including Oxford Organic Farm, rotating seasonal dishes, and weekly engagement through the Emory Farmers Market.

• Reduced transportation-related emissions
• Strengthened regional agriculture and biodiversity
• Encouraged healthier, seasonal eating habits

4. Campus-Wide Engagement & Cultural Programming

Emory embedded sustainability into campus culture through experiential programming and thought leadership:

• Educational Garden Project for hands-on food systems learning
• Chef lecture series and sustainability events
• Culinary "Chef's Tables" highlighting sustainable cuisine
• Sustainable Food Fairs and awareness campaigns

As a signature activation, Emory hosted a high-impact screening of "Wasted! The Story of Food Waste" featuring pre-event tastings with leading Atlanta chefs and a panel discussion with sustainability leaders. The event highlighted nose-to-tail and root-to-stem cooking, repurposing food waste into valuable resources, and reducing the global 1.3 billion tons of annual food waste.

5. Food as Medicine & Nutrition Integration

Emory extended its ESG strategy into healthcare and wellness through nutrition-focused programming:

• Dietitian-led education and campus nutrition initiatives
• "Food as Medicine" programs linking diet to disease prevention
• Integration of nutrition into dining halls and healthcare settings
• Campus food pantries addressing food insecurity

This positioned food systems as a core component of preventative care, improving health outcomes and addressing social determinants of health.

6. Infrastructure Innovation: Water & Resource Stewardship

The WaterHub at Emory University is a cornerstone of the university's environmental infrastructure strategy — an on-site eco-engineered water reclamation system.

• Reduces campus potable water use by reclaiming and reusing wastewater
• Supports sustainable campus operations and dining services
• Serves as a living laboratory for sustainability education
• Demonstrates closed-loop resource management at scale

7. Institutional ESG Integration

Dining initiatives are embedded within a broader university-wide sustainability ecosystem, including carbon and energy reduction strategies, waste diversion and recycling systems, water conservation and green infrastructure, and academic integration of sustainability across disciplines. This ensures ESG is fully institutionalized — not siloed.