Sodexo Campus has committed to increasing its plant-based planned menus, at least in the US, to 50% by 2025, as part of the company’s plan to reduce its global carbon footprint by 34% by 2025 and meet evolving consumer expectations. Sodexo Campus is a division of Sodexo, a global food services and facilities management leader founded in 1966 in Marseille by Pierre Bellon. The increase in plant-based menus is due in large part to Sodexo’s collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), which has given an A rating to it two years in a row in the Protein Sustainability Scorecard report (the HSUS has been working with Sodexo for more than 15 years).
However, Sodexo is not talking about vegan food, but only plant-based food, as the company’s definition of plant-based, is recipes that only use ingredients that come from plants, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts, but it can include honey. It is a shame that the welfare of bees, who are also farmed animals, had to be sacrificed when the company could easily eliminate honey from their menu.
Brett Ladd, CEO of the Campus division for Sodexo USA, said: “We are working with [the HSUS] to increase the number of plant-based menu offerings through recipe development, menu ideas, nutrition advice and hands-on culinary training. With their support, I’m confident we can reach our 50% goal by 2025.” Karla Dumas, RDN, vice president, of farm animal protection for the HSUS, said: “Year after year, Sodexo has shown they are serious about following through with commitments made around reducing their carbon footprint by emphasizing innovative plant-based menu initiatives. This most recent announcement shows Sodexo is serious about change and has found the formula for success… We will continue to collaborate with Sodexo and other change makers that take their sustainability commitments seriously.”
