Zag Dining by Sodexo has received three awards in the past month pertaining to its sustainability efforts, a core value that aligns with both Gonzaga University’s mission and Sodexo’s own corporate responsibility roadmap, Better Tomorrow 2025.

First, Gonzaga University presented Diana Lloyd-Jones, Zag Dining’s sustainability coordinator, with the CREATE Award, one of five annual awards that distinguish leaders progressing sustainability on campus. CREATE stands for Care for Creation, Reflection, Experience, Action, Teaching, and Engagement. Diana was recognized for her efforts including starting a reusable container program, launching multiple zero waste initiatives, running Sodexo Grown - a hydroponic greenhouse that produces fresh produce for campus dining, and building community partnerships to encourage sustainable enterprises.

Zag Dining was next recognized for its efforts in recycling by Sodexo’s own Sustainability Community of Practice, a group of trusted sustainability advisors and resources that execute the implementation of Better Tomorrow 2025. In their inaugural internal competition, MyGreenIdea, Zag Dining gained acknowledgement as one of five winners through their shadow box 3-D signage, a new concept that helps users identify how to sort disposables properly in the local waste stream.

Most recently, the National Association of College & University Food Services (NACUFS) honored Zag Dining with the Silver Award in the category of ‘Procurement Practices’ in their 2019 Sustainability Awards contest. The organization bestowed this achievement to Zag Dining because of their local sourcing efforts. The account helped found Spokane’s Local Inland Northwest Cooperative (LINC) and continues to be its #1 purchaser, bringing local, organically grown produce to customers daily. In addition to supporting various other local businesses (coffee roasters, bakeries, dairy producers, etc.) they have also provided over 1,200 pounds of lettuce, herbs, and tomatoes for production from Sodexo Grown this year, allowing them to locally source ingredients not normally available to the region.

Congratulations to Zag Dining by Sodexo and Diana Lloyd-Jones for their continued dedication to sustainable practices and innovations!