ISS, a global leader in workplace experience and facility management, is delighted to launch a new low-carbon initiative into its primary school menus in the UK, working alongside partner Coolfood — an initiative run by World Resources Institute (WRI), a global non-profit — to cut food-related emissions across the education sector.
Having become the world’s first organisation to launch Coolfood-certified low-carbon meals in secondary school settings in 2024, ISS will now serve more than 50,000 plant-rich meals daily across almost 200 UK primary schools, including in London boroughs like Barnet, Ealing, Redbridge, and Southwark, as well as locations in Slough, across Essex and Yorkshire.
Coolfood uses science-based methods to help food service providers around the world lower the climate impact of the billions of meals they serve annually. ISS first signed up to the Coolfood Pledge in 2023, and began offering meals across a range of industries that boast a 38% lower carbon emission rate than the average school dish.
The innovative, plant-rich meals have been thoughtfully designed by ISS and Coolfood with young palates in mind, transforming everyday school lunches into a delightful adventure of vibrant flavours and fun, kid-approved recipes while educating children about low-carbon choices to foster sustainable habits from an early age.
In keeping with ISS’s ‘Small change, big impact’ approach, the meals demonstrate how simple it is to make significant changes by effortlessly swapping choices, reducing the climate footprint of schools, and inspiring young people to help build a more sustainable future. Now, ISS menus will feature the Coolfood badge to help students quickly spot low-carbon options, empowering them to make these planet-friendly decisions for themselves seamlessly.
The menus will officially launch across applicable primary schools in the UK on 3 November, 2025.
Zuzana Toth Orbanova, Brand Manager for Education at ISS UK & Ireland, said:
“We’re thrilled to be building on our longstanding partnership with Coolfood by launching certified low carbon, plant rich meals in primary schools in the UK. It is incredibly exciting to be delivering an industry first through these meals in education, and we’re proud to now introduce even younger students to learnings on sustainable food.
“This initiative will above all help to reduce the climate footprint of schools and empower young people to help build a more sustainable future through the choices they make. We’re delighted with initial feedback and can’t wait to bring such a wide variety of delicious, plant-rich, and expertly crafted recipes to school tables nationwide.”
Jenny Arthur, Head of Coolfood, said:
“Food is one of the most powerful tools we have to tackle climate change, and for young people in the UK, that change can start in the school canteen. With millions of school meals served every day, the lunch hall is a powerful place to shape habits, spark change, and celebrate flavour.
“Through this initiative, ISS and Coolfood are making sure the planet-friendly choices happen seamlessly so kids can just do what they do best: have fun and enjoy their school lunch. It’s an exciting step towards a new standard for sustainable, climate-friendly mealtimes across the education sector, one that is also delicious, diverse, and nutritious.”
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For media enquiries: Jonny Bisby | jonny.bisby@uk.issworld.com | Tel: +44 (0) 7542 269 965
About ISS: ISS is a leading workplace experience and facilities management company. With a presence in more than 30 countries worldwide, and with more than 27,000 employees across the UK and Ireland alone, ISS provides innovative workplace solutions that contribute to better business performance aimed at making life easier, more productive, and enjoyable for all — delivered to high standards by people who care. Learn more at www.uk.issworld.com.
About Coolfood: An initiative of World Resources Institute, Coolfood works with food service providers to cut their food-related emissions. Currently eight billion meals are served by Coolfood’s network, and our goal is to reach 13 billion meals by 2030. Coolfood helps reduce the climate impact of these meals by combining deep environmental research with expertise in behaviour change and consumer marketing techniques, all in a one-stop-shop for food service. Learn more at Coolfood.org. World Resources Institute (WRI) is a global research organization that spans more than 60 countries, with international offices in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States, regional offices in Ethiopia (for Africa) and the Netherlands (for Europe), and program offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Turkey and the United Kingdom. Our more than 1,600 experts and staff turn big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity and human well-being. More information at www.wri.org or on Twitter @WorldResources.