Newham College London
The World on a Plate Initiative
Finalist, Campus Health, Food and Drink
About
World on a Plate is Newham College London’s celebration of food, culture, health, sustainability and belonging. Serving one of the UK’s most diverse and economically challenged communities, this initiative delivered by our in-house catering team has transformed the college’s food offerings from a standard rolling menu of a handful of items into an inclusive, multicultural food experience.
With more than 300 dishes inspired by cuisines from around the world, the initiative reflects the diversity of our learners and staff while encouraging curiosity, cultural awareness, and healthier food choices. Delivered within existing budgets and supported by Free School Meals and bursary provision for low-income students, the project ensures that nutritious, varied and culturally relevant meals remain accessible to everyone in our college community.
Sustainable practices are embedded in daily operations through batch cooking, waste tracking, responsible procurement, using local suppliers, reusable-cup incentives, biodegradable packaging, and anaerobic digestion for unavoidable food waste. Our World on a Plate demonstrates how college catering can be affordable, inclusive, environmentally responsible, and genuinely community centred.
Top 3 learnings
1. We have learnt that food can be a powerful driver in strengthening inclusion and cultural pride.
2. We have learned the importance of being intentional about environmental impact, and how this can lead to more efficient, responsible, and effective ways of delivering catering services.
3. We also learnt that cross functional collaboration makes sustainable change more practical and lasting.
What it would mean to win
Winning a Green Gown Award would be a powerful recognition of our college’s commitment to sustainability, wellbeing, inclusion, and innovation, celebrating the impact of our catering project and inspiring further positive change across our community and the wider education sector.
SDGs
3. Good health and well-being
| 2026 | |
| Campus Health, Food and Drink | |
| Finalist, UK and Ireland |
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