Keeling Curve

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Project Summary / Description:

The idea behind Foodsteps started as part of Anya Doherty's research at the University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute, which she joined after completing her degree in Natural Sciences at Queens' College, Cambridge. Her research focused on improving methods for calculating the carbon footprint and land use of catered meals. 

Seeing the potential to apply her research for benefit on-the-ground, Anya then worked for Cambridge University‚ Catering Service and other college caterers to audit the carbon footprint of their food purchases, and advise on ways to reduce impacts. 

During this period, Anya founded Foodsteps with the aim of making this methodology accessible to cafeterias and caterers outside of Cambridge University.

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Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

We are a small start-up made up of four core employees of which two, including the founder, are female. 

We are committed to maintaining gender diversity as an organisation and we will endeavour to have (as a minimum) an equal ratio of male and female employees as we continue to grow. 

As outlined in section 6, we are in the process of compiling an advisory board and we will also strive to ensure that this board is gender diverse. 

Foodsteps is also committed to supporting economic diversity as an organisation. When developing sustainability solutions for a cafeteria's supply-chain and food-procurement policy, we make suggestions based on fair wages in food production and social-factors, in addition to sustainability metrics such as GHG emissions. 

Finally, we also operate under a social-enterprise model through which projects for charitable and public organisations can be undertaken at a greatly reduced fee. For example, our latest project was priced at an 80% discount to full price for a nursey school in a low-income area of the UK.

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