Copenhagen Municipality’s efforts to provide a broad selection of organic and sustainable fruit and vegetables to its institutions has garnered international acclaim.
The city has been awarded the international Procura+ award in recognition of its method of procuring food for its schools, daycare institutions and elderly homes.
“The procurement of food products is a very successful and efficient way to impact the environment and consumption,” said Pia Allerslev, the city’s deputy mayor for children and youth issues.
“In Copenhagen Municipality we have discovered a way to sustainably procure for the city’s citizens without increasing costs, and out method has inspired other cities in Europe to follow suit. By sharing our experiences, we can reduce food waste, utilise our resources better and shorten the producer-to-consumer chain.”
READ MORE: Copenhagen wins international climate award
European example
Copenhagen Municipality makes a number of demands regarding the fruit and vegetables it receives. It should be 100 percent organic, seasonal, encompass a wide variety, and be grown naturally – so not in a greenhouse.
Besides having a positive impact on the environment, the method also allows smaller fruit and vegetable producers to sell their goods at a decent price.
Allerslev was at hand in Malmö on November 30 to receive the award at the Sustainable City Development 2016 conference.
The Procura+ network is a collection of over 40 European public authorities co-operating across borders in the name of sustainability and innovation.
