The ocean clean up starts with your delegates

Nature in Flanders

5 tips for sustainable catering at your conference

Globally, about 30% of the food produced goes to waste. At your conference, that figure is just as high. So by providing sustainable catering, you can seriously reduce your footprint. VISITFLANDERS Convention Bureau would like to give you some tips. Because the sustainability of your conference is high on the agenda in Flanders.

1. Put plants first

Provide plenty of plant-based - and therefore more sustainable - dishes. At least 50% of the products used in the menu should be plant-based.
Also, always provide some dishes that are 100% plant-based. Keep in mind that these are nutritious dishes with enough plant proteins, such as beans, legumes, nuts and seeds.

2. How do you handle fish?

Incorporate fish in no more than one dish. Use MSC/ASC/BIO labeled fish.
Choose lesser-known fish species and bycatch to relieve popular species. 
Use sustainable fish species as much as possible and avoid endangered species such as eel.
Work as locally as possible and only use fish from a nearby sea.

3. Meat, is it still allowed?

Sure, but in moderation. For example, incorporate meat - like fish - into only one dish. Serve a maximum of 100 grams of meat per person.
Buy meat with a label that stands for animal welfare. Of course, foie gras in dishes is not done.

The ocean clean up starts with your delegates

4. Make use of the short chain

This means that your food product reaches your plate via the shortest route from the farmer, passing through few or no intermediate links. To be precise, try to limit yourself to a maximum of one intermediate link.
That way you significantly reduce food miles and the footprint associated with transportation. In addition, you stimulate the local economy, pay a fair price to the producers and, above all, your products are squeaky fresh.

5. The ocean clean up starts with you

By working exclusively with reusable materials, you reduce the use of fossil resources and ensure less plastic in the oceans. Some other tips: prefer tap water to bottled water, sort all the waste you produce and throw away as little food as possible. Food you have left over can be donated away to a food bank or given to staff.

pluktuin Lisbona (c) Piet De Kersgieter (10)
© Piet De Kersgieter

Even more tips? Download our free brochure.

Of course, the sustainability of your conference includes much more than catering. So much more, in fact, that our convention bureau has written an entire brochure about it.

Download our free e-book on sustainable conferences & events
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