The Challenges
As one of Europe’s largest cities, Milan serves over 77,000 school meals each day through its public canteens. By 2015, city leaders recognized that the food served in schools was contributing significantly to their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – particularly from red meat. The city set out to reduce its impact by serving healthier, plant-rich meals in schools, and secure support from parents, teachers, students, and chefs along the way. To track their progress, the city needed better accountability tools to align their school food procurement with its climate goals.
The Solutions
Milan joined the Coolfood Pledge in 2020, embedding emissions tracking and analysis into its school food system. The Coolfood calculator allowed the city to formally align its food-related emissions goals with international climate standards, track and analyze food purchasing data, and communicate the results transparently. Now, emissions tracking is an integral part of Milan’s school food planning, and Coolfood’s annual climate reports provide concrete data to demonstrate progress and build public trust and support for their efforts.
Working in close collaboration with Milano Ristorazione, the city’s public school canteen provider, Milan launched a comprehensive strategy that combined menu reform, policy, chef training, and public education efforts. Key actions included:
- Menu Reform: Reduced red meat, increased vegetables and legumes, and ensured at least 3 fully vegetarian meals per week
- Chef Training: Partnered with the University of Gastronomic Sciences to develop appealing, kid-friendly plant-based recipes
- Food Education: Distributed 231,000 colorful educational booklets for children, teaching them about sustainable eating and fostering healthy habits at home
- Canteen Renovation: Renovated school canteens to create calmer and more pleasant dining spaces to reduce food waste and promote healthy food choices
- Menu Carbon Labeling: Used the Coolfood calculator to measure and label the exact CO₂ emissions of every dish in seasonal menus, and provided this data to students, families, and staff.
The Results
- 29% absolute CO2 emissions reduction from school meals since 2015
- 31% reduction per 1,000 calories
- Increased awareness among students, families, and educators of the climate impact of food
How Coolfood Helped
- Target Setting: By joining the Coolfood Pledge, Milan aligned its goals with international climate standards, giving the program structure and accountability.
- Data-Driven Insights: Integrated emissions tracking into the city’s annual planning and reporting systems.
- Storytelling & Visibility: Provided the ability to showcase progress with real numbers, helping Milan build public trust and highlight its leadership across Europe.
- Ongoing Support: Coolfood’s tools, guidance, and international network of members continue to inspire Milan to push further each year.
“It’s incredibly motivating to see our efforts reflected in real data—Coolfood helps us stay on track and measure progress against our targets. Before joining, we didn’t fully understand the climate impact of our food purchases. Now, this knowledge is part of our system, and we hope to increase progress year after year.”
-Christina Sossan, Officer of Milano Food Policy