UPMC Food and Nutrition teams are working with the UPMC Center for Sustainability to reduce the environmental impact of food service while supporting patient health, community health, and local food systems.
Food has a meaningful impact on greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and community well-being. Across UPMC, sustainability efforts focus on three connected priorities:
UPMC is working to lower food-related greenhouse gas emissions by participating in the Cool Food Pledge. The pledge commits participating organizations to reduce emissions from the food they serve by 25% by 2030.
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital was the first UPMC hospital to join the pledge in 2021. In its first three years, UPMC Magee reduced emissions tied to animal-protein purchases by 23%. The hospital also increased sales of plant-based proteins, including nuts, seeds, and legumes.
In 2022, all 12 UPMC hospitals in Allegheny County signed on to the Cool Food Pledge. UPMC Shadyside, UPMC Presbyterian/Western Psychiatric, and UPMC St. Margaret have reduced emissions compared to the 2022 baseline, and UPMC Somerset became the first UPMC hospital to offer a plant-based patient menu.
This work continues through menu planning, reduced reliance on higher-emission foods, and expanded plant-forward options for patients, visitors, and staff.
UPMC Somerset is expanding sustainable food service through two efforts:
Leanpath helps the Food and Nutrition team track, measure, and reduce food waste in large kitchens. Team members record daily food waste, note the reason for the waste, and use the data to make practical changes.
Since launching the program, UPMC Somerset has reduced food waste by 51%, keeping more than 2,500 pounds of food out of the landfill. That is equal to nearly 2,200 meals and about eight metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions avoided.
UPMC Somerset is also adding plant-based meal options for patients. These meals support patient choice and offer options with a lower environmental impact.
Menu items include options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, such as:
Reducing food waste is a key part of UPMC’s sustainability work. Food and Nutrition teams are supporting programs that prevent waste, donate edible food, and compost or process food scraps when possible.
Our donation programs include partnerships with 412 Food Rescue, Meals to Go, and local food pantries. They help keep edible food out of landfills while supporting patients and community members who face food insecurity.
Composting and food-waste diversion efforts are also underway at hospitals, including UPMC Shadyside, UPMC St. Margaret, UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital, and UPMC Carlisle. These programs help reduce landfill waste and methane emissions while supporting local and regional composting systems.
The UPMC Meals to Go program addresses both food insecurity and food waste by providing discharged patients with prepared frozen meals made from surplus hospital food that would otherwise be discarded.
Sustainable food programs also support UPMC’s broader commitment to health equity. By reducing waste and improving access to food, these initiatives help address social drivers of health while making food service operations more efficient.
We have implemented programs such as Meals to Go for discharged patients and food recovery partnerships at several hospitals, including:
UPMC works with farms and community organizations to support regional food systems and expand access to fresh food. Through efforts such as the Farm to Hospital Program, UPMC Memorial Farm, and community-based food access and education programs, these partnerships help connect sustainability, nutrition, and community health goals.
The UPMC Center for Sustainability and Food and Nutrition teams will continue to expand programs that reduce emissions, prevent waste, and support healthier communities.
Priorities include:
Together, these efforts show how food service operations can reduce environmental impact, improve patient care experiences, and strengthen the communities UPMC serves.
Several UPMC hospitals and dining locations have been designated Sustainable Pittsburgh Restaurants for supporting environmentally responsible practices. UPMC is proud to be recognized as a sustainability leader and for its commitment to the community.
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