Austria: Sustainable Food Procurement in Vienna Hospitals

Mitigation initiative

The Vienna Hospital Association has implemented a sustainable food strategy since 2005. Several projects have been undertaken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from food procurement and food waste in Viennese hospitals.
Reducing food waste was the objective of Biofair II in 2005 [1] and SUKI from 2008 to 2011 [2]. These projects increased the share of organic food used in canteens and reduced CO2 emissions from canteens by limiting the quantity of meat procured. In 2010, the Natürlich gut Teller programme [3] limited the quantity of meat used in individual portions to 90 g, while mandating the use of fish from sustainable Austrian fisheries and seasonal fruits and vegetables only [4]. Project Umbesa [5] (2012-2014) implemented sustainability menus offered by hospital kitchens through regional and seasonal organic food and freshly prepared meals [6].
The aim of the sustainable food strategies is both to reduce the climate impact of Vienna hospitals and to offer higher-quality nutritious food for patients as a co-benefit. 

GHG emission reduction measures  

Initiative outcomes

Evidence of Success  

Thanks to its sustainable food strategy, the Vienna Hospital Association achieved a significant reduction in the carbon footprint associated with its food services. For the 2008-2012 period, emission savings amounted to approximately 58,600 t of CO2e [7]. In addition, the use of seasonal fruits and vegetables under the Natürlich gut Teller programme resulted in the avoidance of 21,600 tonnes of CO2 between 2011 and 2016 [7]. The proportion of vegetarian meals served was raised to 56% between 2011 and 2016, contributing directly to lower emissions related to farmed livestock over that period [2]. 
The food waste measures included in the sustainability strategy led to the avoidance of 177,000 kg of food waste between 2017 and 2018, equivalent to 400 t of CO2 [8]. 

Co-benefits 

In addition to the reductions in emissions originating from food use, a by-product of an increased organic diet with less meat is more nutritious and healthier meals. As an example, in 2018, approximately 35% of all ingredients used in the kitchens of the Vienna Hospital Association were sourced from certified organic agriculture [3]. The initiatives also increased awareness among staff and patients regarding sustainable diets and supported regional agriculture through local procurement practices. The initiatives helped stabilise long-term food costs despite a higher proportion of organic products, due to better resource planning and reductions in meat procurement.