Climate Action: Sodexo Confirms Its 34% Carbon Emissions Reduction Target by 2025 With Approval From the Science Based Targets Initiative, Joining Global Call-to-Action

PARIS, September 23, 2019 /3BL Media/ – Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Life services, confirmed its objective to reduce its carbon emissions by 34% by 2025 (base year 2017) with approval from the Science Based Targets initiative, joining the global movement of leading companies aligning their businesses with the most ambitious aim of the Paris Agreement, to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. 

“We will achieve our objective by focusing on our four environmental priority actions: preventing food waste, promoting plant-based meal options, sourcing responsibly through local and short supply chains; and finally, helping our clients reduce their emissions through better energy and waste management”, said Denis Machuel, Chief Executive Officer, Sodexo. “We’re proud to be part of the Science Based Targets initiative and the Business Ambition for 1.5°C call-to-action because there is an urgency to ensure we can sustain our collective quality of life despite a changing climate. Not only is this the right thing to do for the environment, but it also makes sense from a business point of view.” 

“By including Scope 3 emissions, Sodexo will now be accountable for tracking and bringing transparency to the total carbon footprint of the food it serves and the resources used to provide our facility management services”, said Neil Barrett, Group Senior Vice President, Corporate Responsibility, Sodexo. “With this measurement, we will be able to make better choices, and also raise awareness and engage our clients and consumers in our climate action with information about the environmental impact of the services we provide”.

The targets have been reviewed and approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, a collaboration between CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The initiative helps companies determine a pathway for reducing their emissions in line with the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C.

Alberto Carrillo Pineda, Director, Science Based Targets at CDP, one of the Science Based Targets initiative partners, said: “Many congratulations to Sodexo on setting greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in line with keeping warming to 1.5°C above preindustrial levels. The science has told us that this is what is required to secure a healthy and prosperous future for people, business and planet."

The approval follows a successful collaboration Sodexo has undertaken with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to conduct a rigorous review of its emissions target since 2010 and identify priority actions to focus its effort.

Pierre Cannet, Conservation Co-director at WWF France, said: “By engaging the whole group to align its climate ambition with the 1.5°C threshold of the Paris Agreement, Sodexo is showing leadership at the global level as one of the first companies to propose such a level of mitigation. This commitment by one of the biggest catering, hospitality and food retail services group shows its sense of responsibility to tackle its carbon footprint. We now invite Sodexo to immediately implement it through a robust carbon reduction plan enabled by adapted decisions and means.”

Reducing our total carbon footprint is part of Sodexo’s Positive Impact.

About Sodexo 

Founded in Marseille 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 72 countries, Sodexo serves 100 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services. Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 50 years of experience: from foodservices, reception, maintenance and cleaning, to facilities and equipment management; from services and programs fostering employees’ engagement to solutions that simplify and optimize their mobility and expenses management, to in-home assistance, child care centers 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 460,000 employees throughout the world.

Sodexo is included in the CAC 40, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices.

Key figures (as of August 31, 2018)

20.4 billion euro in consolidated revenues

460,000 employees

19th largest private employer worldwide

72 countries

100 million consumers served daily

15.4 billion euro in market capitalization (as of July 5, 2019)