Sodexo Globally Recognized by Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes for Eighth Consecutive Year

GAITHERSBURG, Md., October 30, 2012 /3BL Media/ - Sodexo, Inc., the world leader in Quality of Life Services, was again recognized by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) as the global leader in its industry segment.

In its North American operations, Sodexo continues to drive progress toward its Better Tomorrow Plan commitments with the development of its people, support for local communities and the pursuit to improve the quality of life for clients and customers. Programs like Recipes for a Better Tomorrow, for example, encourage chefs to consider more sustainable seafood selections in the development of menu options. Partnering with clients like Ohio State University in zero-waste campaigns work to engage the local community in reducing its carbon footprint and integrated management services, whether at corporate sites or college campuses, provide sustainable energy, construction and food service solutions that significantly reduce client operating costs.

Every year on behalf of the DJSI the SAM (Sustainable Asset Management AG) evaluates companies across all industry segments on their sustainability performance on an annual basis, conducting an in-depth analysis of specific economic, environmental and social criteria including human resources development, corporate governance, risk management, climate change strategy and supply chain management.

“This is the eighth year in a row that Sodexo has been recognized by the DJSI,” said Damien Verdier, executive vice president and chief marketing officer, Sodexo Group. “We are extremely proud that Sodexo is the global sustainability leader in its market sector. It is important to note that sustainable development is not just about the environment – the social dimension is absolutely key, in particular for Sodexo. The services sector is a people business; our employees drive our activity. Sodexo’s commitment to corporate citizenship and our employees’ development has been central to the Group’s strategy and ambitions since we were founded in 1966, and we continuously strive to take our credentials to the next level of performance.”

In 2009 Sodexo defined a worldwide corporate citizenship roadmap for the Group: the Better Tomorrow Plan. Applicable in the 80 countries where Sodexo operates, the Better Tomorrow Plan is built on a solid base of initiatives undertaken in our host countries, which are critical to our market and stakeholders.

Just a few of Sodexo’s achievements in sustainability include:

• Continuous improvement of the Group-wide employee engagement score since 2008 (+9%) with a very high response rate. 85% of our employees rate Sodexo a better employer than its competitors.
• The development and deployment globally of practical and concrete sustainability initiatives in our day-to-day site based operations, such as energy saving and waste reduction programs.
• Maintaining a worldwide agreement with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to promote MSC-certified seafood throughout Sodexo’s global network.

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ABOUT SODEXO

Sodexo in North America

Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On-site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, as well as Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $17 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions

Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo acts as a partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo’s 413,000 employees in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled array of Quality of Life Services. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.

Key figures (as of August 31, 2011)