The Sustainability Awards recognizes leadership in the promotion and implementation of environmental sustainability as it relates to campus dining operations. The National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) celebrates the pivotal role dining services has in the overall environmental sustainability and social responsibility goals of a campus: people – planet – profit.

Entry for the 2023 awards is now closed. 2024 submissions will open in the fall of 2023. 

Contest Rules

Judging Criteria
Submission Form

The Sustainability Awards grand prize winner is the University of Rhode Island for Free Farmers Market.

This annual contest celebrates the modifications made to traditional purchasing protocols to increase the sustainability of purchasing decisions and protect the environment by purchasing from local and other producers who support and practice sustainability.

The 2022 Procurement Practices award winners are:

Gold: University of Michigan

Silver: University of California Davis

This annual contest celebrates institutional members who enact energy and water conservation practices to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and potable water consumption.

This annual contest celebrates institutional members who minimize waste sent to landfills and wastewater systems by diverting biodegradable waste to compost (or other landfill deferred systems) and maximizing recycling efforts throughout dining services.

The 2022 Waste Management award winners are:

Gold: Boston College

Silver: University of Michigan

This annual contest celebrates institutional members who utilize new materials created from recycled, regional, and rapidly renewable content through evaluating materials and resources for construction and renovation projects.

This annual contest celebrates institutional members who provide information on sustainability efforts to students, faculty, staff, students, and visitors.

The 2022 Outreach and Education award winners are:

Gold: University of Rhode Island

Silver: Virginia Tech