Research project on sustainable nutrition tests practices in everyday kitchen
29.04.2026 – Under the motto "Transformations for City-Regions of the Future - Climate Protection, Resource Conservation & Well-being", researchers from the University of Freiburg and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), together with practice partners, want to contribute to the sustainable development of society – taking into account economic aspects, the common good and social justice. The next phase of the project will see the launch of an educational project in schools and an increased focus on the practical preparation of initial sustainable practices in community catering.
The target of the project "Sustainability transformation of community catering in Baden-Württemberg" is to contribute to climate protection, resource conservation and fair and supportive operating structures along supply chains and in community catering (CC) institutions. The project also aims to develop a long-term transformation strategy together with decision-makers from politics, business and civil society.
"We urgently need a transformation of our food system," says project manager at KIT, Franziska Bürker. "Good food should be enjoyable and at the same time protect our planet. We therefore particularly support a plant-based, wholesome and healthy diet."
Making communal catering sustainable step by step
In order to make catering in communal kitchens ecologically, economically and socially sustainable, the project has been pursuing several approaches since its launch in summer 2024: using more local and organic products, producing less waste and using renewable energies. It also promotes fair operating structures along the supply chains and in CC institutions, for example to enable fair payments as well as training and further education opportunities.
For example, the project team has worked with Stadtwerke Karlsruhe to establish a number of new practices along the value chain in its company restaurant. The next phase of the project will focus in particular on processing and pooling these results in order to find out what impact the changes have had.
Strengthening nutrition education in schools
"Together with our practice partners, we are testing new sustainable practices directly in everyday kitchen life. We then use this to develop ideas for sustainable nutrition. For example, we recently launched an educational project lasting several weeks at a school in Karlsruhe. Together with the children from a cooking club, we look at everything that goes into getting food onto the plate," says Franziska Bürker.
The children prepare their own dishes and learn where the food comes from, how and where it is grown and how it is transported. The focus is on getting to know, experiencing and playfully trying out sustainable nutrition. Visits to a farm, an organic food store and a processing plant allow the experience to be deepened.
Further information
The project "Sustainability Transformation of Community Catering in Baden-Württemberg" runs until the end of 2026 and targets the Upper Rhine region - as is usual for the Innovation Campus Sustainability (ICN). The aim is to promote cross-border cooperation on sustainability innovations in the border triangle. In the long term, the results and the measures developed will then be used throughout the country and beyond.
Funding: Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Science, Research and Arts
Project participants:
- University of Freiburg: Prof. Dr. Arnim Wiek, Dr. Bianca Blum, Dr. David Sipple, David Pfeiffer-Hiss, Katharina Greulich, Sophie Buckwitz, Martina Keller
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology: Franziska Bürker, Pia Laborgne, Dr. Oliver Parodi from the Karlsruhe Transformation Center for Sustainability and Cultural Change
- Practical partners: Studierendenwerk Freiburg, Freiburg University Hospital, Archdiocese of Freiburg, City of Freiburg, KIT catering, Stadtwerke Karlsruhe, City of Karlsruhe, various schools, organic model regions, Baden-Württemberg Association of Cities and Towns
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