Sodexo, a global foodservices and facilities management leader, announced that its Campus division is celebrating Earth Month by increasing its commitment of plant-based planned menus to 50% by 2025.
Sodexo is mobilizing its resources to create plant-based dining options that meet consumers’ needs and make it easy for them to incorporate more plant-based foods. The company is focused on improving the availability of plant-based dishes and creating delicious new recipes that consumers will be excited to try.
Increasing the number of plant-based and plant-focused options on menus is part of the company’s plan to reduce its global carbon footprint by 34% by 2025. It is also a vital part of meeting evolving consumer expectations.
Today’s college students are especially attuned to the environmental and physical benefits of plant-based eating. According to a 2020 GlobeScan study, 37% of Gen Z expressed an interest in eating more plant-based and meat-free foods. Currently, 36% of Sodexo Campus’ menus are plant-based, and the company is committed to increasing that number to meet this growing demand.
“The increase in our plant-based menus is due in large part to our collaboration with the Humane Society of the United States,” Brett Ladd, CEO of the Campus division for Sodexo USA, said in the announcement. “We are working with them 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.”
The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has been working with Sodexo for more than 15 years to foster a more humane supply chain by developing responsible sourcing strategies and, more recently, to increase the number of plant-based offerings. The continuation of the successful collaboration with the HSUS further speaks to Sodexo’s commitment to quality ingredients, health, sustainability and addressing evolving consumer dietary preferences.
“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," Karla Dumas, RDN, vice president, farm animal protection, for the Humane Society of the United States, said in the announcement. "This most recent announcement shows Sodexo is serious about change and has found the formula for success. This is also why Sodexo has received an A rating from the HSUS two years in a row in the Protein Sustainability Scorecard report. We will continue to collaborate with Sodexo and other change makers that take their sustainability commitments seriously,”
