Silver and gold Catering Mark Standards
The new Food for Life Catering Mark Standards for bronze, silver and gold launched on 30th January 2012.
The silver and gold standards are assessed on a points system. Food providers are rewarded for every percentage point of their ingredient spend on ethical and environmentally friendly food, locally sourced ingredients and steps to offer healthier menus.
The points system maintains the same rigorous principles for environmentally friendly, local and healthy food, yet offers more flexibility to recognise food providers’ different strengths and priorities.
Applications and inspections
All Catering Mark applications are now required to meet the new standards. Existing Catering Mark holders will be required to show how they meet the new standards at their 2013 inspection. To achieve silver and gold, food providers also need to demonstrate that they meet the new bronze standards.
Why have we made these changes?
The revised standards recognise that caterers have different motivations, and encourage them to tell their own stories. Some gold Catering Mark holders will serve almost exclusively organic menus, others will prioritise local sourcing or healthy eating. All will show commitment to serving healthy, local, free range and organic food.
A stakeholder consultation about the new standards and a series of test inspections took place during summer 2011. The new standards were fully approved by the Soil Association Council in November 2011.
Follow the links below to view the full standards and use the Points Calculator to find out if your menus meet the silver or gold standards.