02 May 2023
Your request
With regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty, does your decision-making regarding the provision of food take into account the fact that veganism is a protected characteristic for the purpose of the Equality Act 2010? Yes/No
How many vegan hot and cold meal options do you offer:
In your own local authority canteen every day (if you have one)? 0, 1, 2, 3 or more. Please also express this as a proportion of the overall number of options offered.
In external events catering (if applicable)? Eg: 0, 1, 2, 3 or more.
Please also express this as a proportion of the overall number of options offered.
Is a requirement for providing vegan hot and cold meal options included within the catering procurement contracts you issue for other catering provision for which you are responsible including schools, leisure centres, care homes, libraries, and any other public buildings? Yes/No
Has your organisation taken any action to reduce meat and dairy consumption in order to meet environmental goals?
· If yes, please detail what actions have been taken, e.g. 100% or 50% plant-based food options offered.
· If no, do you have ambitions to take action in this area, eg through setting meat reduction targets? Yes/no, if yes please detail what ambitions you have set out.
Our response
Lambeth Council does not have a staff canteen, nor does it provide catering services.
The Council doesn’t commission or contract with our café operators to provide any food, they agree to take up a business opportunity. As such, the Council does not make decisions regarding the provision of food, as it does not have any influence or control over these private businesses' menu provision. You may wish to contact these businesses for the information however please note private businesses are not subject to FOI.
Lambeth Council is supporting National Vegetarian Week (15 to 19 May).
In addition, we've been supporting the eat like a Londoner campaign. Lambeth is proud to support the Eat Like a Londoner campaign launched this April. It’s a first-of-its-kind food platform designed by experts and locals to help Londoners shop, cook and eat better: more sustainably, more cost-effectively, more deliciously.
Eating better for people and the planet – Lambeth schools online workshop | Lambeth Council– where we’re working with our schools to encourage more sustainable diets. We have also put together the schools resource pack with a section on food, waste & consumption LAMBETH FUTURE FIT SCHOOLS
Lambeth’s green events guide lAMBETH cOUNCIL SUSTAINABLE EVENTS GUIDE (eventlambeth.co.uk)also sets out guidance around provision of vegan meals for events. There is also a goal in our Climate Action Plan to “Increase the consumption of healthy plant-based food in Lambeth through procurement power, individual and organisational choices.”