PHILADELPHIA-To coincide with the start of National Seafood Month (October), Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) a global provider of hospitality, facilities, and uniform services, today announced a new commitment to increasing local seafood sourcing in New England, through a partnership with the Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI).
Guided by its Sustainable Seafood Policy, Aramark strives to buy seafood from sources, whether fished or farmed, that maintain healthy marine life and ecosystems, and respect seafood workers and communities throughout the supply chain. All of Aramark’s Higher Education, Healthcare, and Business Dining accounts in New England will pursue the following goals over three years:
- One hundred percent of fresh and frozen whitefish purchases, by volume, will be caught/grown and processed in the New England region.
- At least 75% of all whitefish species purchased will be verified Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested species. Whitefish species that are part of this commitment: American plaice, Atlantic pollock, Atlantic spiny dogfish, haddock (Georges Bank/Gulf of Maine), monkfish, redfish, white hake, whiting (silver hake), winter skate.
- All whitefish products/species will continue to meet Aramark’s Sustainable Seafood Policy of Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch® program green or yellow rated products, or eco-certified products recommended by Seafood Watch.
- Aramark will require its primary suppliers in New England for Higher Education, Healthcare, and Business Dining accounts to participate as licensed dealers with the Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested program.
The company will also report detailed progress on whitefish purchasing annually to GMRI, including sales volume for all New England accounts in those sectors.
“Fishing communities across New England work hard to harvest seafood responsibly from our waters, and when a company like Aramark makes a commitment to purchasing fish locally, it has an important impact by giving local seafood a leg up in a very global marketplace,” said Kyle Foley of the Gulf of Maine Research Institute.
“By prioritizing whitefish species that are verified Gulf of Maine Responsibly Harvested species, the whitefish Aramark serves in New England is traceable to fishing communities in the Gulf of Maine region, and has been verified to meet important criteria around responsible harvest,” said Brisbane Vaillancourt, Regional Vice President, Northeast Region, at Aramark. “Guests choosing seafood with this label are directly supporting local fishermen and promoting a healthy ecosystem.”
Aramark’s commitment to sustainable seafood is a core part of the company’s sustainability plan, Be Well. Do Well., focused on positively impacting people and the planet. Today’s commitment builds on Aramark’s current practices to reduce emissions, which include efforts to increase responsible sourcing and operate efficiently, minimize food waste and to reduce packaging.
About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves the world’s leading educational institutions, Fortune 500 companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and numerous municipalities in 19 countries around the world with food, facilities, and uniform services. Because our culture is rooted in service, our employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners, our communities, and our planet. Aramark has been named to DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” list, the Forbes list of “America’s Best Employers for Diversity,” the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s “Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality” and scored 100% on the Disability Equality Index. Learn more at www.aramark.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
