It is also the first university in Wales to be awarded a ‘silver’ for its lunch service, which includes Sunday carveries served at its on-site restaurants in Carmarthen and Lampeter.
Janine Lewis-Screen, catering manager at the Carmarthen campus, who co-ordinated the process on behalf of the university, said: “We’re delighted to receive these awards, particularly the Gold Award for our banqueting and events and the Silver for our lunch services.
“When we looked at the criteria for the silver award, we felt that we were already doing most of what was required.
“For example, we serve Fair Trade products, we buy our fresh produce from local suppliers, 5% of our overall catering budget is spent on organic food, including milk, vegetables, products for our soups etc”.
University chef Kevin Hodson added: “This has been the result of excellent team work and the catering staff across the university’s campuses have been really enthusiastic.
“We have developed an excellent reputation for the quality of our catering services and, of course, that reputation begins with good food from good quality sources.”
The list of the university’s suppliers include companies operating in the immediate vicinity of its campuses in Lampeter, Carmarthen, and Swansea as part of its commitment to sustainable development across its campuses, curriculum, culture and community.
The university’s sustainability plan has been developed through its Institute of Sustainable Practice and Resource Efficiency (INSPIRE).
Jane Davidson, director of INSPIRE and associate pro-vice chancellor for external engagement, said: “We are delighted to support local producers and suppliers and are proud to list their names in our restaurants across all of our campuses.
“The awards meet demands for traceability, integrity and good provenance of the food that we serve. There is a growing awareness of the link between good food, health, academic attainment and the environment.
“Students, staff and the university’s wider community are increasingly concerned about where their food comes from and we are in a unique position to lead the way in facilitating a change in their buying and eating habits.
“I am delighted that UWTSD is the only University in the UK to achieve the Soil Association’s Gold Mark for its university-wide banqueting service”.