SENSE is the Food & Beverage manifesto of Hotelschool The Hague, launched in February 2025 to positively disrupt our relationship with food on campus and guide student education. Our operations include two farm-to-fork gardens, two casual fine dining restaurants, two food courts, two cafés, two hotel breakfast concepts, one bakery, one bar, and one food truck. We also maintain six beehives supporting 300,000 bees, contributing significantly to local biodiversity. SENSE embodies our commitment to five core values-Seasonal, Ethical, Nutritious, Supportive, and Enjoyable - which form the foundation of our food & beverage sustainability strategy: • Seasonal: Connecting with nature by respecting seasons to create environmentally-friendly dishes and drinks. • Ethical: Driving positive impact through food waste reduction, selecting eco-conscious products, and supporting fair labour via trusted certifications. • Nutritious: Prioritising whole foods such as grains, fruits, and vegetables to promote balanced, healthful diets. • Supportive: Acting as a community partner by uplifting alumni, empowering local businesses, and strengthening community ties. • Enjoyable: Celebrating food as a source of joy and connection, honoring all who produce, prepare, and share it. Together, these principles shape a sustainable, inclusive, and inspiring food culture.
Finalist
SDG Impact Award Award
It makes SENSE! by Hotelschool The Hague, The Netherlands
Finalist SDG Impact Award Award
Hotelschool The Hague - The Netherlands
"Hospitality for a Better World – It makes SENSE. "
Engage on social media
https://www.linkedin.com/school/hotelschool-the-hague/posts/(Hotelschool The Hague)
https://www.instagram.com/p/DAF9fTVIYFo/ (HTH STREATS Food Truck )
(Event ‘putting health back on the Menu with doctors and plant growers’ )
(Event building our garden EDEN on Campus Amsterdam with Stephen Ritz. )
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Summary
Key People
Simone Williams
Lecturer
SDG Office,
Hotelschool The Hague
Joost de Vos
Executive Chef
Real Life Learning,
Hotelschool The Hague
Judith van Diepen
Manager
Real Life Learning,
Hotelschool The Hague
Stefan Hollen
Executive Chef
Real Life Learning,
Hotelschool The Hague
Laura Morren
Instructor
Real Life Learning,
Hotelschool The Hague
Images
SENSE Values
SENSE Values
EDEN Garden Campus Amsterdam
EDEN Working
EDEN Harvesting
Beehives HTH Amsterdam Campus
SENSE WALL HTH Campus Amsterdam
Local Heroes: SENSE puts local suppliers in the spotlight
SENSE KPI
IMPACT STORY
Impacting lifes
At Hotelschool The Hague, we’re shaping the next generation of Hospitable Leaders. Every year, over 500 students graduate ready to enter the hospitality industry with a mindset grounded in purpose, responsibility, and positive impact. What began as a collaborative effort between students and staff has blossomed into a powerful movement: the SENSE initiative.
SENSE is more than a project - it’s a living, evolving approach that turns sustainability from abstract theory into real-world action. It influences everything we do, from education to daily operations and community engagement. By aligning closely with key UN Sustainable Development Goals - SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 13 (Climate Action) - SENSE helps our students understand their role in creating a better future.
What makes SENSE remarkable is how it transforms our students into changemakers, turns meals into powerful messages, and converts data into meaningful actions. These principles aren’t just taught - they’re lived in our kitchens, embedded in our curriculum, and woven into our culture.
Inspired by SENSE, students founded a Culinary Club that goes far beyond the classroom. They host communal dinners featuring local suppliers, who become ambassadors sharing the stories behind their products. These dinners create connections that go well beyond the plate, fostering deeper relationships within our community.
Our alumni keep the movement alive, bringing it full circle. Many return with new sustainability projects, lead workshops, alert us to rescued food for our kitchens, and invite us to local food events to share the SENSE story. For example, one alumna leads a Robin Hood charity initiative in Amsterdam, organising welcome dinners for residents and newcomers alike. Another contributed rescued chocolate used in recipes for our charitable food truck activities.
Our suppliers, too, have embraced this philosophy, working closely with us to provide products that truly “make SENSE.” Together, we’ve created a ripple effect that extends from the classroom into the hospitality industry and the wider community.
LEARNINGS
Lessons learned
Implementing SENSE taught us that true institutional change goes beyond having a sustainability strategy - it requires a cultural shift, ongoing dialogue, and practical integration into everyday operations.
One surprising discovery was the power of emotional connection in driving sustainable behaviour. Engagement didn’t grow solely from introducing plant-forward menus or ethical sourcing; it accelerated when we shared the stories behind local suppliers, alumni producers, and food system innovators. We did this in sessions with employees, where we introduced them to the stories behind our food, breaking bread, and shaking butter. These experiences created meaningful connections and inspired action.
We also faced unexpected resistance - not to the idea of sustainability, but to what might be lost: certain ingredients, familiar dishes, or the comfort of choice. There was hesitation around plant-based eating and seasonal limitations. But when we reframed sustainability as a space for creativity rather than restriction, something shifted. Participation gained momentum - especially when students and staff were invited to co-create solutions through Real Life Learning Days, tasting experiences, and gamified digital tools, which made engagement feel natural and rewarding.
If you’re considering a similar path, our advice is:
Start with a strong identity. SENSE became a shared language that united education and operations.
Build slowly but visibly. Pilot programmes, staff workshops, and visible campus changes (like signage and ingredient switches) build trust and momentum.
Invest in storytelling. Sustainability doesn’t sell itself - people connect through values and lived experience.
Innovation in education means empowering people to think and act differently, together.
FUTURE PLANS
What's coming?
SENSE gives students a real-world platform to design, implement, and experience a plant-forward concept in action. In our outlets, they confront resistance - from guests questioning meatless menus, from business pressures on profitability, and from traditional culinary identities rooted in animal protein.
SENSE equips students to meet these challenges, nudging guests toward healthier, sustainable choices and turning scepticism into positive experiences. This is real-time, real-life learning - preparing students to become hospitality’s next generation of change agents.
