GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Sodexo, a food and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, has been recognized by the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) for its leadership in the sustainable purchasing movement, a growing trend in which organizations are using their purchasing power to advance the long-term health and vitality of society, economies, and the planet.
The Leadership Award for a Special Sustainable Purchasing Initiative was presented to Sodexo for using local sourcing to make a meaningful social impact in its suppliers' communities in Chicago. Specifically, Sodexo, Midwest Foods, and the Chicago Botanic Garden with its Windy City Harvest program partnered to support small, local businesses and farmers by leveraging Sodexo's purchasing power.
"We were thrilled to accept this award for the work we're doing with our partners in Chicago," said Judy Panayos, senior director sustainability, supply management of Sodexo North America. "This initiative highlights how taking a more holistic approach to evaluating impact is more meaningful given the profound effect a relatively small percent of institutional spend can cause when well placed," added Panayos.
Sodexo, in practice, initiated a multiplier effect as producer partners scaled their businesses; expanded career development opportunities for at-risk community members; increased access to affordable and nutritious choices for food desert communities; reduced food waste; and supported local sustainability efforts.
SPLC's Leadership Awards recognize organizations that have demonstrated or actively supported the kind of leadership envisioned in the SPLC's Principles for Leadership in Sustainable Purchasing. The Principles state that an organization demonstrates leadership in sustainable purchasing through:
- Understanding the environmental, social, and economic impacts of its purchasing.
- Taking responsibility by committing to an action plan.
- Delivering on its commitments actively promoting internal and external innovation that advances a positive future.
- Soliciting and disclosing information that supports a marketplace of innovation.
"The winners of these awards have each demonstrated their commitment to leadership in sustainable purchasing," says SPLC CEO Sam Hummel. "Collectively, they focus the powerful purchasing influence of organizations — in public and private sectors alike — to advance a socially just, ecologically robust, and economically prosperous future. The winners of SPLC's Leadership Awards exemplify, encourage, and support a constructive cycle of innovation that will define the global marketplace of tomorrow."
About Sodexo North America
Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 80 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life for millions of customers in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. The company employs 133,000 people at 13,000 sites in all 50 U.S. states and Canada and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses. In support of local communities across the U.S., the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed close to $32 million over the past 20 years to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit SodexoInsights.com and connect with us on Facebook and @SodexoUSA on Twitter.
Source: Sodexo North America
