Documentation

Good question! The extent of the documentation guidance in the Reference Guide is “retain documentation from product suppliers that verifies that the product(s) is organic or local.”

In the past, I have submitted invoices that indicate the sustainability criteria. Your suggestion of keeping product packaging would work as well – instead of keeping every piece of packaging, I would take a photo (and keep it on file) of the product package for each type of product that meets the criteria. You can submit a photo as documentation support.

I to am a little confused about how to document this credit. We are going to use organic catering to achieve this credit. What specific documentation do I need to get from the caterer? Is "Organic" always "USDA Organic"? If the caterer says their food is organic will they need to prove it and how?

Hi Yun,
To satisfy the documentation requirements, Project Teams need to include manufacture information regarding purchases of sustainable food. In the case of a caterer or food vendor, I suggest requesting that they provide product information that confirms that the product is USDA Certified Organic. “Organic” does not always mean USDA Certified Organic, which is the third party standard the credit references.
Hope that helps.