Clifton College wins prestigious catering award

We are thrilled to have won a prestigious award at the TalkEducation Awards for the Innovation in Food and Nutrition category for our catering team’s work on food waste reduction. The College's catering team introduced a series of practical and educational initiatives that led to a remarkable 37% reduction in total food waste.

Over the last academic year, our catering team has introduced strategies to reduce the amount of wastage. Firstly, increasing transparency to help pupils and staff understand just how much food ended up in the bin, and to act as a prompt to change behaviours. This was done by displaying real-time food waste statistics on digital screens around the dining halls. 

The catering team also worked with pupils to launch a competition that challenged Houses to produce the least amount of food waste, which engaged the pupils and thanks to volunteers from each House, sparked discussions with their peers. 

These changes were part of a collaborative effort between catering colleagues and pupils, who were able to provide feedback on menus to minimise production waste. Catering also partnered with Mr Bates, our Assistant Head (Sustainability) and the pupil-led Sustainability Committee to run a campaign explaining how food waste contributed to carbon emissions. 

Dr Tim Greene, Head of College, said “We are immensely pleased to receive the TalkEducation Award for Innovation in Food and Nutrition. We understand the importance of a good meal for our pupils and staff, and being able to provide them with tasty, healthy options while also caring for the planet is an achievement we are proud of. I’d like to thank all the staff who work in the catering team with our partners at Sodexo for their ongoing support.”

Simon Knight, Director of Independents by Sodexo, said “At Independents by Sodexo, we believe that how we serve food matters as much as what we serve. This award highlights how our commitment to transparency, education and collaboration can deliver real environmental and behavioural change. By making food waste visible, involving pupils directly and working in partnership with the College, we’ve shown that when care and innovation come together, everyone benefits – from our plates to the planet.”

These changes reflect a broader shift in how we approach food at Clifton College: with more intention, more collaboration, and a strong commitment to sustainability. The catering team has led this work with creativity, data, and care, making a big difference to both daily operations and the culture of the College.