Sodexo announces new commitment to a phased-in approach to sourcing all egg products exclusively from cage-free hens Français
TORONTO, March 3, 2015 /CNW/ - Sodexo takes additional steps within its animal welfare policy in Canadian operations today by extending its previous commitments to source all of its shell eggs from cage-free systems by now moving to source all of its liquid eggs solely from cage-free hens by the end of 2020.
Every year, more than 60 billion animals are raised worldwide for food. The intensity and level of magnitude involved with animal production tends to create pressure for efficiencies, but unfortunately they are too often associated with significant and widespread animal welfare concerns. Appropriate animal husbandry practices from transportation, to housing, feeding and veterinary care play a key role in reducing those concerns.
Sodexo's Global Animal Welfare Policy provides general guidelines and standards, which are often exceeded in Canadian operations. "With an annual spend of nearly $23 million on animal proteins in Canada, Sodexo has established sustainable purchasing practices with suppliers that drive humane treatment of animals throughout our supply chain," said Tracey Durand, Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Sodexo Canada. "We see animal welfare, including these new measures for cage-free eggs, as a key component of a sustainable supply chain alongside food safety, food security, nutrition and science-based environmental practices."
Sodexo currently sources about 800 thousand pounds of liquid eggs annually. It will now move to sourcing liquid eggs only from cage-free hens with a phased-in approach that will be complete by the end of 2020.
Sodexo first reinforced its commitment to conducting business in a responsible and sustainable manner in 2009 by launching the Better Tomorrow Plan — its global roadmap to sustainability. That plan specifically called on the company to work with its suppliers to improve animal welfare in all the countries where it operates by 2015. In line with its ongoing progress, Sodexo continues to require passing scores on annual third-party animal welfare audits from its fully integrated suppliers.
For a company with operations in 80 countries at more than 32,700 sites, addressing animal welfare is a tremendous undertaking, largely due to the complexities of a global supply chain and differences in agriculture practices around the world. Despite the challenges, building valued partnerships with affected suppliers, leading authorities and credible organizations is instrumental in achieving progress and educating stakeholders about the issue.
While the work is not yet complete, Sodexo is proud of the advances it continues to make and the recognition it has achieved. This month, for example, Sodexo was ranked for the eighth consecutive year as the best-performing company for economic, social and environmental performance in the benchmark RobecoSAM Sustainability Yearbook 2015, earning it Industry Leader and Gold Class recognition. The industry award specifically calls out a concern for animal welfare and ethical sourcing as driving factors for global supply chains.
Visit sodexo.ca to learn more about our commitment to animal welfare and for regular updates on our performance.
About Sodexo
Sodexo in Canada
Sodexo has been delivering On-Site Services in Canada for over 40 years. Recognized as a strategic partner, Sodexo Canada is dedicated to providing Quality of Life Services for clients, their employees and visitors in the corporate, education, healthcare and remote sites segments. These Quality of Life Services create healthy, safe, and efficient environments allowing individuals and organizations to grow and succeed. Delivering food and facilities management services for over 200 clients, Sodexo is a market leader in Canada in terms of revenue and consumers served, and has been recognized as a top employer for the past five consecutive years. Sodexo Canada is proud to have created the Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable organization that has donated more than 1 million meals to at risk youth in Canada since it was founded in 2000.
Sodexo Group
Founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 45 years of experience: from reception, safety, maintenance and cleaning, to foodservices and facilities and equipment management; from Meal Pass, Gift Pass and Mobility Pass benefits for employees to in-home assistance and concierge services. Sodexo's success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 419,000 employees throughout the world.
| Key Figures (as of August 31, 2014) Sodexo in the World 18 billion euro consolidated revenue 419,000 employees 18th largest employer worldwide 80 countries 32,700 sites 75 million consumers served daily 12.3 billion euro market capitalization (as of November 12, 2014) |
Sodexo in Canada 10,000 employees
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SOURCE Sodexo Canada
Katherine Power, Vice President Communications, Tel: 289-439-9170, [email protected]
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