Sowing Seeds of Change: A Look Back at the CIS Biodiversity Summit for Schools

 

Our highlights from the student-led biodiversity summit at Chinese International School, Hong Kong.

Igniting Young Minds for a Greener World

This past Saturday, 5th April, the Chinese International School (CIS) in Hong Kong had the foresight to host a remarkable student-led summit dedicated to biodiversity in school food systems. As the first of its kind in the region, this inspiring event brought together young minds, educators, and sustainability champions to explore how biodiversity connects to daily school life — especially through the food we eat. Future Green Member CIS took the lead in organising this crucial summit for students across Hong Kong. We were excited to be part of this pivotal event, contributing a dynamic two-part workshop focused on the vital concept of biodiversity in our food.

Beyond Recycling Bins: Shining a Crucial Spotlight on Biodiversity and Our Food

Often, school sustainability initiatives tend to focus on climate change and recycling. This summit, however, commendably shone a well-deserved spotlight on the intricate relationship between biodiversity, food and the health of our planet. CIS, recognised as a leading international school with a strong commitment to sustainability through their “Vision 33” plan, provided the perfect setting for this essential conversation. Their ambitious goal to achieve ‘carbon neutrality’ by 2033 underscores their deep dedication to environmental responsibility. A significant highlight for those passionate about food sustainability was the “Biodiversity on Your Plate” workshop.

This 90-minute deep dive designed by Future Green explored the crucial connection between the variety of life on Earth and our food systems. Designed for students and school sustainability teams, the workshop aimed to foster an understanding of biodiversity’s fundamental role in our food, the profound impact of our daily food choices on biodiversity, and practical ways to support it through informed procurement, thoughtful menu design, and responsible sourcing.

From “Mystery Meals” to Menu Makeovers: Engaging Students in Biodiversity Action

Kicking off with “What’s in Your Meal?”—a fun yet eye-opening activity connecting our plates to biodiversity loss.

Our first session began with an engaging icebreaker called “What’s in Your Meal?”. Participants shared their last meal and identified its key ingredients, sparking a quick yet insightful discussion about where these foods came from and how many species were involved. The key takeaway was clear: our diets rely on a surprisingly narrow range of crops and animals, which has a major impact on global biodiversity. This led into a brief presentation, “The Biodiversity Crisis & Our Food System,” highlighting the critical link between what we eat and the alarming loss of biodiversity. Talking points included the harmful effects of deforestation, monocultures, overfishing, and soil degradation.

Why Diversity Matters: From Soil to Staple Crops

The session also underscored the vital roles of pollinators, healthy soil, and thriving ecosystems in supporting food production. Furthermore, it addressed the far-reaching impact of industrial agriculture — including the loss of native crop varieties, the decline of marine biodiversity, and our growing dependence on just a few staple foods like wheat, rice, soy, and corn. Altogether, these insights reinforced the powerful message that diverse diets are essential to building resilient, future-proof ecosystems.

Restaurant or school canteen dish?

Reimagining School Meals: The Biodiversity Menu Challenge

Following lunch, the second session immersed participants in an engaging Interactive Activity — The Biodiversity Menu Challenge. During this segment, students were divided into small groups and tasked with redesigning a sample catering menu using biodiversity-friendly principles to encourage greater biodiversity in school food systems.

This hands-on exercise sparked creative thinking across several key areas. First, groups explored how to increase the diversity of grains and legumes by incorporating lesser-used options like millet, amaranth, and heritage wheat. Teams also looked into sourcing ingredients from regenerative farms or agroforestry systems — and into how alternative plant-based proteins could help reduce reliance on industrially produced soy.

Beyond ingredient selection, groups also examined procurement strategies that prioritise suppliers committed to regenerative practices. They reflected on how to design menus that highlight underutilised crops, how to engage suppliers around shared sustainability goals, and how to educate consumers through storytelling and informative menu content.

Finally, the session culminated with each group presenting their revised menus and explaining the rationale behind their biodiversity-conscious choices — a testament to the creativity and critical thinking these students brought to the table.

Hands-on with the Biodiversity Menu Challenge—students reimagining catering menus for a more sustainable, diverse, and regenerative food future.

Planting the Seeds of Change: Key Lessons and School’s Role in Food Sustainability

The CIS Biodiversity Summit served as a powerful reminder of the direct and significant impact our food production and consumption have on the planet’s biodiversity. The overall takeaway message encouraged everyone to experiment with incorporating one new biodiversity-friendly ingredient in their school’s next procurement cycle. By empowering students with knowledge and practical tools, the summit has undoubtedly sown seeds for a more sustainable future — one where biodiversity in school food systems is both valued and protected.

 

Thanks to everyone involved! Sodexo, TASS, CIS, and Klimato.

Students put their climate hats on, estimating the carbon footprint of three dishes from their redesigned menus.

Interested in bringing similar conversations to your school? Explore the workshop questions we used to inspire your own biodiversity initiatives.

Now, we turn the question to you: What is your school doing to build awareness and take action on food systems sustainability? Share your initiatives and let’s continue this vital conversation!

Future Green CIS workshop on Biodiversity in School Canteens – Live sketch image by student Renita Tang