Harvard University named ‘Greenest University’ for 3rd consecutive year
Green Restaurant Association points include credit for prioritizing local, organic, and plant-forward ingredients. Pictured is a bowl of beets, chickpeas, lentils, feta, and halal chicken from the SEC Cafe.
For the third year in a row, the Green Restaurant Association (GRA) has named Harvard University the Greenest University in the country. This prestigious recognition underscores Harvard University Dining Services’ (HUDS) unwavering commitment to sustainability, climate action, and industry-leading environmental stewardship.
Harvard currently operates 19 Certified Green Restaurants across its Cambridge and Boston campuses. This includes all undergraduate dining halls, as well as multiple professional Schools and campus cafes. By maintaining this distinction for three consecutive years, Harvard continues to set the gold standard for higher education food service operations.
Key highlights of the 2025-2026 cycle include:
Significant carbon reduction: Through expanded plant-based menu options and energy-efficient equipment upgrades, HUDS has lowered the carbon footprint of its daily operations.
Waste diversion: 100 percent of undergraduate dining halls now operate with advanced waste-tracking technology to minimize food waste before it even reaches the plate; and reusable containers to eliminate compostable clamshells.
Water conservation: Recent retrofits in the professional School cafes have saved an estimated 500,000 gallons of water annually.
The award-winning locations serving the Harvard community include these 19 Harvard University Dining Services-operated facilities:
Professional Schools and cafes: Hillel Kosher Kitchen, Harvard Law School (Wasserstein Hall), Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Divinity School (Swartz Hall), the SEC Café, and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (Sebastian’s Cafe).
“Winning this award for a third year is not just a milestone; it’s a testament to the culture of sustainability we’ve built together with our students and staff,” said Smitha Haneef, managing director. “We are proud to lead the way in showing that large-scale university dining can advance healthy food and dining programs from sustainable food systems.”
For more information on Harvard’s green initiatives and to view the specific environmental steps taken by each location, visit: https://www.dinegreen.com/harvard
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