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The Academy of Entrepreneurship is excited to announce the launch of SustainaKit, a new European initiative dedicated to transforming culinary Vocational Education and Training (VET) through sustainability, responsible consumption, and KM0 (zero-kilometre) food use.

SustainaKit aims to raise awareness among VET students and teachers about the environmental impact of cooking practices and the importance of reducing waste in the food sector. As Europe moves towards greener policies and more sustainable food systems, VET education must follow the same path—equipping learners with modern skills that reflect current ecological challenges.

Cooking practices have a significant impact on the environment. SustainaKit embraces this reality and proposes innovative educational approaches that support sustainability, responsible consumption, and the use of local, seasonal products.

The SustainaKit project seeks to:

Activities and Outputs

Throughout the project, partners will develop several key outputs that directly respond to the needs of European VET institutions:

• A comprehensive Handbook for teachers and students, covering the theoretical foundations of sustainability, responsible food consumption, zero-waste practices, and the benefits of KM0 products.

• A practical Toolkit enabling both groups to apply what they have learned through hands-on exercises, sustainable cooking techniques, and responsible resource management.

• An open-access website where all materials (Handbook and Toolkit) will be available in English, Greek, Slovak, Italian, and Spanish.

These resources will support VET providers in integrating sustainability into their curricula and adopting greener cooking practices.

Why SustainaKit Matters

The project emerges from a shared understanding among partners that there is a significant lack of structured training on sustainability-related topics within culinary VET centres. Issues such as food waste, KM0 consumption, and sustainable resource management are central to European policies—including the Farm to Fork Strategy, the European Green Deal, the Zero Waste initiative, and multiple SDGs.

More specifically, SustainaKit is aligned with the EU Action Plan on Sustainable Consumption and Production, aiming to improve the environmental performance of cooking practices through efficient use of resources and reduced waste. This approach also supports the transition to a more circular, resilient, and resource-efficient European economy. SustainaKit also responds to the need to raise awareness about potential future resource shortages, highlight the environmental cost of food production and livestock, promote seasonal and KM0 products that reduce energy consumption and environmental impact, and encourage responsible consumption patterns aligned with SDG 12 and SDG 13.

Partners