Sodexho Releases First Global Sustainable Development Report

Sodexho Alliance (NYSE:SDX) (PARIS:SW), the leading global provider of Food and Facilities Management services, today announced the release of its first-ever worldwide Sustainable Development report. The report provides both statistical and case study information on the performance by the Group and its operating affiliates around the world with respect to the economic, social and environmental aspects of its activities. "Corporate citizenship has been part of our credo since our founding in 1966,” said Clodine Pincemin, Sodexho’s Group Executive Vice President for Communications and Sustainable Development. "Ensuring a better quality of life for everyone now and for generations to come is the heart of Sodexho’s mission to improve the quality of life on a daily basis. This report provides our stakeholders with an accounting of how we are performing, through the efforts of our 332,000 employees in 80 countries around the world. It also lays out the commitment we have made to continuously improve and to track, report on and be accountable for our performance on an ongoing basis.” Sodexho has received numerous recognitions for its efforts to ensure a sustainable future : The company has been named "worldwide supersector leader” in the Dow Jones Sustainability World (DJSI World) and Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability (DJSI STOXX) indices for the second year in a row. The company is also listed in the FTSE4Good and ASPI Eurozone indices. At the European Sustainable Development exhibition, MarketPlace, in June, Sodexho’s 18-country STOP Hunger program was awarded "the most popular solution" in the Health & Safety category. Sodexho is a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact and the Sullivan Principles. Copies of the report are available by contacting : developpement.durable@sodexhoalliance.com About Sodexho Alliance SODEXHO ALLIANCE, founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, is the leading global provider of Food and Facilities Management services, with more than 332,000 employees on 28,300 sites in 80 countries. For Fiscal 2006, which closed August 31, 2006, SODEXHO ALLIANCE had sales of 12.8 billion euro. Listed on Euronext Paris and on the New York Stock Exchange, the Group’s current market capitalization is 6.9 billion euro. ANNEX SUMMARY OF SODEHXO’S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT/CORPORATECITIZENSHIP ACTIVITIES Sodexho bases its sustainable development strategy, referred to internally as "Corporate Citizenship,” on the UK government’s definition of sustainability: "Ensuring a better quality of life for everyone now and for generations to come.” Sodexho’s 2005-2006 Sustainable Development report includes numerous examples of sustainable practices and activities by Sodexho’s 332,000 employees around the world, reflecting the company’s commitments to each of its key stakeholders: clients, consumers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and host countries. The following examples are extracted from the report. Clients : forging enduring partnerships Sodexho’s Clients for Life program. focused on improving client retention, is based on a highly disciplined methodology for surveying clients and customers, evaluating company initiatives and sharing best practices. First implemented in North America, the program is being deployed in all subsidiaries. Customers : improving the Quality of Daily Life, ensuring safety Sodexho has made a number of commitments to meet customer expectations and assure the quality and safety of its services. Delivering a full range of innovative services that help to improve their quality of life. - In Italy, Sodexho manages 12 company daycare centers with activities for mothers and newborns. - In Indonesia, BP has contracted with Sodexho to provide electrical installations and mobile water supply and wastewater treatment plants for a temporary drilling site. Reducing food safety risks. The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system has been applied on all sites. By ensuring traceability, it allows Sodexho teams to ensure food safety throughout the entire product delivery chain. Providing information and training in good eating habits. Sodexho has set up nutritional education programs to promote and raise awareness of the importance of a balanced diet for health and long-term development. - In France, the Fêtavi clubs and workshops use fun-filled activities to teach primary school children the basics of healthy eating. - In the United States, the Balanced Mind, Body and Soul program, which has been deployed on more than 1,000 sites, provides students with a kit containing recipes, posters and a pedometer. - In Australia, the Symmetry health and fitness program offers a wide range of activities for young people in Western Australia, including exercise classes, posture training and fitness evaluations. Employees : promoting a rewarding work life With services delivered each day to 40 million customers by the 332,000 men and women throughout the world, human resources are critical to Sodexho. Sodexho is committed to providing opportunities to its employees for personal and professional development through internal mobility, training and skill enhancement opportunities : - In North America, Sodexho University provides a full range of programs in technical, professional and nutrition skills as well as in sales, marketing, innovation and advanced management methods. - In Brazil, a development plan introduced in 2000 trains site managers to become district managers. Sodexho is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion. The rich diversity of backgrounds, cultures and nationalities of its workforce is a key success factor for Sodexho, enabling the company to better understand and respond to the needs and expectations of its diverse client and customer base : - In France, Sodexho signed the Diversity Charter in October 2004. - In Italy, Sodexho has worked for ten years with institutions and associations to help integrate the disabled into mainstream society. - In Colombia, Sodexho provides financial assistance to disadvantaged people during the first six months of their training period. - In the U.S., Sodexho has been recognized as one of the top 10 diversity employers. Suppliers : building balanced, lasting relationships To guarantee product quality and traceability, Sodexho has introduced highly disciplined practices with its suppliers, including: Product supply chain optimization. - In the United Kingdom & Ireland, company restaurants have established relations directly with farmers. - In France, control procedures have been implemented in such areas as hygiene, traceability, food safety, environmental protection and working conditions. Encouraging suppliers to respect sustainable development values. - In the United States, suppliers comply with a Code of Conduct based on International Labor Organization standards. These standards call for companies to voluntarily abide by ten principles in the areas of human rights, work, the environment and the refusal to engage in corrupt practices. Ethics-based partnerships have been set up to promote the use of products developed through environmentally friendly, organic and integrated farming practices, and marketed through fair trade agreements. In Ireland, menus now include "ethical” coffee, which has been certified compliant with fair trade, organic farming, and environmentally friendly standards. - Fair trade coffee, tea, chocolate, bananas and fruit juices have also been introduced in the United Kingdom. In 2005, Sodexho used nearly 380 tons of fair trade coffee, tea and chocolate and more than 16,000 liters of fair trade orange and apple juice. Shareholders : ensuring equal access to information. Sodexho is committed to providing all shareholders with regular, simultaneous access to the same clear, accurate transparent information and to complying with sound corporate governance practices. Sodexho publishes various publications : a Reference document, an Annual Report, a Report on form 20-F and a 'Digest' (overview of the Group) A section is reserved for shareholders on the Sodexho website www.sodexho.com Host countries : contributing to their economic and social development. In line with its values and the nature of its business, Sodexho has worked continuously to contribute to the economic and social development of its 80 host countries, while respecting environmental standards: Sodexho encourages hiring in its host countries, supports local business initiatives and promotes the creation of micro-enterprises - In Peru, a training program in hotel and restaurant skills was developed with mining company Minera Antamina, a Sodexho client, to help communities in the Andes. In four years, 553 young people were trained through the program, which helps students find work in hotels and restaurants in the vicinity and in other parts of the country. - In Tanzania, 70% of products are purchased locally. The STOP Hunger program (https://stophunger.sodexho.com) to fight hunger and malnutrition has been extended to 21 countries. Launched ten years ago, STOP Hunger is active in four areas: food drives, financial donations, skills-sharing information and training initiatives, and volunteer work. - One successful project in France has been the partnership with the Restos du Coeur meals for the needy program. Since 2004, some 1,193,000 meals have been distributed and over 30 people have been hired by Sodexho. - In United States, the Sodexho Foundation, set up in 1999, has made it possible to collect and make contributions of a total of $5.5 million. - In Australia, our teams serve breakfast twice a week to undernourished children in Sydney. - In Belgium, Sodexho has organized a Christmas dinner for 400 homeless people since 2004, in association with "Un Coeur dans la Ville,” a local charity. Since 2005, we have distributed meal boxes and supplies to the homeless, in cooperation with Les Rayons du Soleil. On weekends, Sodexho employees volunteer to hand out hot meals with this non-profit organization. Sodexho is also involved in measures intended to protect the environment in its host countries. Although very few of Sodexho’s services entail pollution risks, the Group has committed to help reduce the environmental impact of its operations. The four areas of focus are preventing pollution, managing waste, and reducing the consumption of energy and water.