Sodexo’s Commitment to Partnership for a Healthier America: Making Progress

The Partnership for a Healthier America (PHA) was established in 2010 to tackle the childhood obesity crisis by transforming the marketplace and our communities. PHA works with the private sector to make healthier choices easier for busy parents and families. The group ensures that commitments made are commitments kept, by working with unbiased third parties to monitor and publicly report on the progress its partners are making. In choosing partners, PHA works with companies that want to make meaningful commitments, and that have the breadth and depth to positively impact the quality of life of both children and their families on a daily basis.

Recognizing that our organization was aligned with PHA’s mission and that we could positively impact their goals and objectives, Sodexo and PHA formed a partnership in March 2014. Sodexo’s partnership with PHA includes six specific commitments designed to support better health and well-being in all of the markets we serve. Specifically, Sodexo committed to:

1. Expand the reach and level of our Mindful Healthy Dining Program
2. Increase the healthier food options in Sodexo-operated vending machines
3. Implement PHA’s Hospital Healthier Food Initiative in Sodexo-operated accounts
4. Create Smarter Lunchroom Programs in Sodexo-operated primary and secondary school accounts
5. Increase participation in free school breakfasts at Sodexo-operated primary and secondary school accounts
6. Promote healthier children’s meals at Sodexo-operated cultural destinations

Our recently developed PHA Case Study shows some impressive movement towards the achievement of all six commitments in the two years since we made our pledge to PHA.  This is just the start of fulfilling our commitments, and some results have not yet been third party verified, but we felt it was important to show and be proud of how we are moving the needle toward solving the childhood obesity crisis. Progress will be tracked closely over the next four years with all results verified in accordance with PHA’s rules to use third party monitors and publicly report on the progress PHA partners are making toward achieving their commitments.

Our progress to date shows that the breadth and depth of an organization like Sodexo has a positive influence on decision making in a wide variety of community settings. Our strategy addresses our customers in corporate, health care, education, government and cultural settings.

Sodexo’s scale, scope, experience and expertise provide us with an opportunity and the responsibility to improve the health and well-being of the communities where we live, work and serve by mobilizing resources, increasing awareness and promoting positive changes that directly address the obesity epidemic. We believe these changes will help improve performance for our clients by improving the health and well-being of employees and their families, enhancing their reputation in the marketplace, and strengthening the communities where they operate. As we move forward and make progress on our commitments, Sodexo will be an integral part of helping PHA achieve its mission of making the healthy choice the easy choice throughout the day for children, parents, caregivers and other role models—regardless of where people live, work or play.

###

Lorna Donatone is the CEO of Sodexo Schools Worldwide and President of Sodexo North America.  Ms. Donatone was honored with the 2015 Trailblazer Award from the Women’s Foodservice Forum and Chairs the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation.  She is on the Board of Directors of Jamba Juice, is a trustee of the Culinary Institute of America, serves on the Tulane Business School Council and Chairs the TCU Business School Board.