People-Powered Sustainability at The Claremont Colleges
When I think about sustainability, I often think of initiatives, data, and outcomes. Working at Bon Appétit, it’s also easy to see how sustainability is driven by the people behind the scenes — students, sustainability teams, and campus leaders — who determine how well our sustainability commitments succeed.
I saw this firsthand recently at The Claremont Colleges, also known as the 7C’s. Among the five undergraduate schools in the consortium, Bon Appétit manages dining at Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna College (CMC), and Scripps College. Each campus feels completely unique, with its own staff, student culture, and cafés, but our shared commitment and collaboration around our sustainability commitments connects us all. Sustainability is embedded in their culture, thanks to the managers’ tireless efforts and close partnerships with students.
Driving Change Behind the Scenes
At Claremont McKenna College, General Manager Shelby Welsh and Assistant General Manager Phil Herrera collaborate with the college’s sustainability team to bring impactful programs to life. For example, the “Weigh the Waste” booths are designed to inform guests about the amount of food waste generated during an average lunch. During my visit, we hosted a friendly competition between CMC and Pitzer, running simultaneous booths during lunch to see which café could minimize food waste. It was great seeing the partnership and support between the dining team and the school’s sustainability office, which helps make these initiatives possible.
Shelby and Phil’s team’s commitment to collaboration is impressive. They actively engage with students, ensuring their voices are heard and their sustainability concerns and questions are answered. This dedication to teamwork and open dialogue keeps sustainability at the forefront of campus life at CMC.
At Pitzer, sustainability is all about empowering student leaders. General Manager Miguel Menjivar and Executive Chef Marcos Rios work closely with the Eco-Reps, a group of passionate students who drive initiatives like post-consumer composting and reusable to-go boxes. Together, they’ve created programs that reduce waste and educate students about their role in creating a more sustainable campus.
It was amazing to see a campus so on top of post-consumer composting, and during my meeting with the group, they mentioned that this was only feasible with Marcos and Miguel’s help. These efforts have ripple effects. Pitzer’s post-consumer composting program led to a similar composting program at the Scripps dining hall with the same team of students. It’s great to see how two accounts can work closely with student groups to scale sustainability changes.
Calling all Stakeholders: Collaborative Sustainability in Action
At Scripps, sustainability feels like a true team effort. General Manager Mark Gillera and the dining team work closely with the Scripps sustainability team, collaborating on everything from waste-sorting activities to expanding composting knowledge and efforts. During my visit, Mark put me in touch with various sustainability groups on campus, like the student garden, Plant Futures club, and the sustainability office, showing how in touch the account is with students on campus.
Our Scripps team’s leadership goes beyond collaboration; it’s about making and fostering deep connections. They work with students to bring their ideas and concerns into the conversation. Mark and his team genuinely care about making a difference and achieving incredible things on campus.
The true heart of sustainability lies in the people who bring it to life. Shelby, Miguel, Mark, and their respective teams aren’t just people in charge of dining; they’re building relationships and creating a collaborative culture where sustainability can thrive.
Sustainability is as much about people as it is about programs. I saw our Claremont teams’ passion and dedication to creating those connections with students so that everyone could work together for positive change. I left Claremont with optimism for what we can all achieve in the world of sustainability together. With teams like these leading the way, I have no doubt we’ll continue to set the standard for sustainability in food service.