The INRAE Sustainable Food Collective (CADI): a participatory approach to more sustainable catering services on research campuses

Abstract

The INRAE Sustainable Food Collective (CADI) was set up at the INRAE Bourgogne-Franche-Comté center with the aim of bringing together a community of scientists and catering professionals to define and implement more sustainable catering practices. Since 2022, this participatory group of volunteers has been carrying out actions aimed at offering quality products, diversifying protein sources, limiting waste and avoiding the use of single-use plastics. The aim of these actions is both to change the catering offer and to make agents aware of sustainable food systems, notably to ensure that supply and demand evolve together. After two years of actions, the food offer was perceived as being more sustainable in all its aspects: more environmentally-friendly, healthier, tastier and of better value for money, although prices had not changed over the period. The choice of vegetarian dishes rose from 16% to 24%, resulting in a reduction in the carbon footprint of meals (-19 kg of CO2 for a service of 200 meals). Based on this experience, the CADI collective took part in revising the specifications for the renewal of the catering contract. As a result, from January 1st 2025, we are implementing and perpetuating more sustainable food practices within the catering service of the INRAE Bourgogne-Franche-Comté center.