Comprehensive Food Policy

Vision

Kaiser Permanente aspires to improve the health of our members, employees, our communities and the environment by increasing access to fresh, healthy food in and around Kaiser Permanente facilities. We will do so in a manner that promotes agricultural practices that are ecologically sound, economically viable, culturally appropriate and socially responsible.

Statement of Principles

We will accomplish this by aligning our food policies and practices with patient, member and employee wellness and health education programs, the expansion of Kaiser Permanente farm stands and farmers markets, and through our contracts with food suppliers and distributors.

We recognize our special responsibility as a health promotion organization. We will become a model for the industry and the nation by promoting healthy food choices in our inpatient food services, cafeterias, vending machines, food carts and catered meals.

We will work with local farmers, community-based organizations and food suppliers to increase the availability of locally-sourced food. Locally sourced food is fresher, tastes better and is associated with increased consumption of fruits and vegetables. It also reduces negative impacts on the environment by reducing the distance food travels from farm to plate.

We will encourage our vendors to supply us with food that is, among other attributes, produced without synthetic pesticides and hormones or antibiotics given to animals in the absence of diagnosed disease.

We will work with our food suppliers to promote the health and safety of farm workers.

Taken together, these actions will promote a healthy environment and thriving communities by increasing access to fresh, healthy food in and around Kaiser Permanente facilities.