Minimizing waste and increasing organic food – BarLaurea promotes sustainability with the Green Key certification

BarLaurea has been awarded the international Green Key certification, whose criteria are based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals. At the same time, the certification serves as a responsibility program that BarLaurea implements, among other things, by increasingly favoring organic and locally produced food.

The teaching restaurant BarLaurea is broadly committed to promoting sustainable development. As a result, the restaurant was granted the international Green Key certification, whose criteria are based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Moving Toward Greater Responsibility Day by Day

The Green Key certification also functions as a sustainability program, through which BarLaurea is committed to continuously developing its operations. The certification includes requirements for reducing environmental impact, increasing social benefits, and supporting the local economy.

“The main reason for obtaining the Green Key certification for BarLaurea was that sustainability is the future. We aim to guide students toward more responsible practices in our operations every day,” says BarLaurea’s restaurant manager, Taneli Kesäläinen.

At BarLaurea, food preparation and ingredient ordering are planned to minimize waste as much as possible. In addition, the restaurant increasingly favors local and organic food. Kesäläinen says his goal is to further increase the use of organic ingredients in the restaurant.

Currently, for example, all milk, flour, and eggs used at BarLaurea are domestic and organic products. Ingredients and products are sourced as locally as possible.

Students Are Guided to Reduce Waste Efficiently

At BarLaurea, the certification requirements are reflected in student activities, including minimizing waste. Many ingredients used during lunch service can be further processed into new forms.

Roope, a hospitality management student working as a supervisory trainee at BarLaurea, gives an example: leftover food from lunch can be transformed into something new, for instance by pickling vegetables, which is currently very popular. One day, grated white cabbage was left over from lunch, and its best-before date was approaching, but its shelf life was extended through pickling.

To reduce waste, bonus dishes are also occasionally added to the lunch line:

“Recently, there were strips of eggplant and bell pepper in the vegetable fridge. They can be chopped and placed on the serving line or, for example, roasted in the oven. They usually disappear quite quickly during lunch,” Roope says.

To further reduce waste, BarLaurea also collaborates with the charity organization Manna-Apu. If there is excess soup left from lunch, it can be donated to the organization’s food aid program.

A Message to Other Educational Institutions

A restaurant that has received the Green Key certification is responsible for continuously developing its operations with new measures each year and reporting on its actions when renewing the certification.

At BarLaurea, in addition to reducing waste and favoring organic and local food, measures to meet the certification requirements include reducing and monitoring water and energy consumption.

Progress is made in small steps, for example by transitioning to more energy-efficient kitchen equipment. Recently, the dishwashing machine for the serving line was replaced.

Promoting sustainable development can thus become part of everyday life through both small and large actions. Kesäläinen also sends a message to other educational institutions:

“I encourage other educational institutions to apply for the Green Key certification as well. Schools are shaping the professionals of the future, and if they are not aware of sustainability issues, then who will be?”