Webinar recording | How to green food services in European healthcare

A recording of this session and the featured presentations are available below

In 2017, the European Commission identified public procurement as a strategic opportunity to prioritise environmental and health objectives by rewarding progressive food suppliers who operate sustainable activities and business models. Whilst the European Commission published their Green Public Procurement (GPP) Criteria for food and catering services, and vending machines in 2019, European hospitals and healthcare facilities still face many challenges when trying to procure organic, environmentally responsible, or fair trade food as part of a sustainable food strategy.

Hospitals across Europe, however, are ready to face these challenges and engage with new models of purchasing and consumption to contribute to a safer, just, sustainable, and prosperous future. On Wednesday 10 June, we hosted a webinar to discuss the strategic opportunity of food procurement in healthcare and to launch HCWH Europe’s latest Sustainable Food publication: How to green food services in European healthcare. Analysing the main provisions within the GPP Criteria, our guide provides recommendations and case studies from across Europe to encourage and support healthcare providers in implementing sustainable food procurement strategies. A recording of the session is available: 

In this webinar we:

• Launched HCWH Europe’s latest Sustainable Food publication, which includes guidelines for healthcare organisations to procure healthier and more sustainable food options.
• Heard the experience of the Municipality of Copenhagen and the Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital in Denmark, on how they initiated a sustainable food strategy.
• Learned from a Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital food supplier more about how they apply the concept of sustainability in both production and distribution.
• Stimulated discussion about the opportunities and challenges of setting sustainability criteria in healthcare tenders for food and catering services.

Released during this webinar, HCWH Europe’s latest Sustainable Food publication, How to green food services in European healthcare provides case studies of such European healthcare facilities developing sustainable food procurement strategies. Along with a brief analysis of the European Commission’s Green Public Procurement (GPP) Criteria, this guide provides recommendations to support European healthcare providers implementing sustainable food procurement strategies.

With supporting case studies from Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Spain, and the UK, we identify actions that can be taken at all stages of the procurement process to improve sustainability and highlight GPP criteria most relevant to European healthcare providers.

Sustainable food is healthy food – we must leverage healthcare’s purchasing power to decarbonise the healthcare supply chain through low-carbon energy sources, as well as more plant-based, sustainable, and locally grown food.

Speakers and presentations

[Moderator] Paola HERNANDEZ OLIVAN, Food Policy and Projects Officer - Health Care Without Harm Europe

Paola oversees HCWH Europe’s Sustainable Food programme, which includes the procurement of food and catering services. With a European MSc in Public Health, she has developed an interest in sustainability and behaviour change issues. 

 

 Betina BERGMANN MADSEN, Chief Procurement Officer - City of Copenhagen

Betina is a specialist in the procurement of sustainable and organic food for the municipality’s 900 kitchens. In 2001, Copenhagen set a goal of reaching 90% organic food in all public catering within the city, achieving this ambitious and possibly unique goal in 2016 - supported by all food supply tenders and contracts. Betina strives to continually improve a steady supply of seasonal and high quality ingredients into public systems and adjusts tenders to meet differing needs whilst actively support the municipality’s. She is also member of the Eating City focus group on public food service.

Michael ALLERUP, Food Manager and Dietician - Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital

Michael is Vice-President of the Danish Diet & Nutrition Association and is responsible for the union’s policy of sustainable and organic promotion. He has been member of a Government project “Gastro2020” and in 2007 won an award from the Danish Gastronomy Academy for his work in hospital food. He is currently also an ambassador for The Danish National Organic Association. In 2019, under Michael’s management, Bispebjerg & Frederiksberg Hospital was awarded the gold Organic Cuisine award - Michael previously oversaw Herlev Hospital, the first hospital to win a silver award which has since become a minimum standard in the Capital of Copenhagen’s hospitals.

Bertel HESTBJERG, Producer and Co-founder - St. Hestbjerg family farm

Bertel is a 15^th generation farmer working on his family’s pig farm in Denmark. Originally trained as economist, he was drawn back to the family tradition during Denmark’s increased pig production during the 1990s, he brought a vision to produce pigs with high welfare and transparency with consumers.

He has overseen the business grow to seven properties and 26 employees selling more than 30,000 pigs a year to both retail and food service. The continues to focus on raising animal welfare standards, and is now developing it’s sustainability - including recycling, space for nature and wildlife, and carbon sequestration.

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