GGHC Food Service Credits—At a Glance

Click on the links below to download individual credits and supporting resources for each of the eight Green Guide for Health Care (GGHC) Food Service Credits. The General Resources section contains information related to more than one Food Credit.

• Credit 1: Policy, Plan and Nutrition
• Credit 2: Sustainable Food Education and Promotion
• Credit 3: Local, Sustainably Produced Food Purchasing
• Credit 4: Reusable and Non-Reusable Products
• Credit 5: Hospital Supported Agriculture: Food and Farm Linkages
• Credit 6: Reduction, Donation, Composting, Recycling
• Credit 7: Food Vendors
• Credit 8: Chemical Management for Food Services
• General Resources

1. Credit 1: Policy, Plan and Nutrition

• 1.1 Sustainable Food Policy and Plan (pdf) (1 point)
• 1.2 Nutrition (pdf) (1 point)
• Intent:  Create, promote, and implement sustainable food purchasing policies and plans that support human and ecological health.
• Tracking Sheet (xls)
• Sustainable Food Policy Examples (pdf)
• Credit 1 Resources

2. Credit 2: Sustainable Food Education and Promotion (pdf) (1 point)

• Intent:  Create awareness about sustainable hospital foodservice initiatives among staff, patients, visitors, service providers, vendors and the community and the associated human health benefits.
• Tracking Sheet (xls)
• Credit 2 Resources

3. Credit 3: Local, Sustainably Produced Food Purchasing (pdf) (1 to 3 points)

• Intent:  Improve human and ecological health through purchase of local and sustainably produced food products.
• Tracking Sheet (xls)
• Credit 3 Resources

4. Credit 4: Reusable and Non-Reusable Products

• 4.1-4.2 Foodservice Ware (pdf) (4 points)
• 4.3 Non-Foodservice Ware (pdf) (1 point)
• 4.4 Bottled Water Elimination and Public Drinking Water Access (pdf) (1 point)
• Intent:  Support environmental stewardship of virgin resources by purchasing reusable and non-reusable products.
• Tracking Sheet (xls)
• Credit 4 Resources

5. Credit 5: Hospital Supported Agriculture: Food and Farm Linkages (pdf) (1 point)

• Intent:  Support local and regional food production by increasing its visibility in the community and strengthening local agriculture infrastructure.
• Tracking Sheet (xls)
• Credit 5 Resources

6. Credit 6: Reduction, Donation, Composting, Recycling

• 6.1 Food Waste Reduction, Donation and Composting (pdf) (1 point)
• 6.2 Food Service Recycling (pdf) (1 point)
• Intent:  Support food security programs, soil restoration, and waste reduction through food waste reduction, donation and composting programs. Increase recycling of food services generated waste to reduce solid waste disposal in landfills and incinerators.
• Tracking Sheet (xls)
• Credit 6 Resources

7. Credit 7: Food Vendors (pdf) (1-3 points)

• Intent:  Establish facility-wide implementation of healthy, sustainably produced food service programs by establishing parallel policies and programs with contracted food service vendors.
• Tracking Sheet (xls)
• Credit 7 Resources

8. Credit 8: Chemical Management for Food Services (pdf) (1-2 points)

• Intent:   Minimize toxic chemical use in food services preparation and service areas, including cleaning chemicals and pest management.
• Tracking Sheet (coming soon)
• Credit 8 Resources (coming soon)