The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) announced that Aramark and its client partners at the University of Virginia and James Madison University have achieved MSC Chain of Custody certification resulting in the first MSC certified Aramark properties in the United States. The certification of these two universities will provide more than 40,000 students, faculty and employees daily with seafood that can be traced back to a fishery that has been certified to the science-based, global MSC standard for sustainable wild-caught seafood.

“In 2008, Aramark made a commitment that our seafood purchases in the United States would come from sustainable sources by 2018. Working with MSC has helped us develop processes that ensure our seafood can be traced to sustainable sources,” said Rita Alison, National Senior Manager Environmental Sustainability, Aramark Higher Education. “Together, we are taking steps to transform the seafood marketplace, and ultimately, preserve the world’s oceans and fisheries.”

Serving 3.2 million meals per year, University of Virginia Dining will offer MSC certified seafood in three residential dining rooms including the Fresh Food Co. at Newcomb Hall, Observatory Hill, and Runk Dining rooms.  

James Madison University Dining Services serves 4.8 million meals per year and will provide MSC certified seafood in residential dining locations including East Campus and Gibbons dining halls.

Led by Aramark, the certification process entailed an inspection conducted by a third-party auditor as well as training of staff. MSC’s Chain of Custody certification ensures that in every step of the chain – from the fishers, to the processer, to the distributor and the end user – MSC certified seafood is not mixed with or substituted for non-certified seafood. Seafood menu items at the University of Virginia and James Madison University’s dining facilities will feature MSC certified species including Atlantic cod, Pacific cod, flounder and Alaska pollock.

“We’re pleased to welcome the University of Virginia and James Madison University as the first Aramark properties in the U.S. to become MSC Chain of Custody certified,” said Maggie Beaton, MSC commercial manager. “The combined efforts of Aramark and the two universities to achieve certification demonstrate the commitment of each to contribute to sustainable seafood for this and future generations.”