Sodexo on Tuesday announced that by 2015 all of its contracted wild seafood purchases in North America will originate from Marine Stewardship Council-certified fisheries.
Tuesday's announcement comes about five months after Sodexo began offering MSC-certified seafood products.
Partnering with the London-based MSC program is part of Sodexo's commitment to source sustainable seafood throughout its operations, said Ann Oka, Sodexo's senior VP of supply management.
The Paris-based company is a worldwide foodservice provider, with more than 10 million customers daily in corporations, healthcare facilities, retirement centers, schools and government buildings.
"At Sodexo, we're seeing how consumers are increasingly interested in seafood because of its key role in healthy eating, as well as its role in the cultural and culinary traditions," said Oka. "Sodexo is committed to providing healthy and nutritious meals. Displaying the MSC eco-label on menus also will give Sodexo's consumers a way to actively choose sustainable seafood."
"The commitment [Sodexo is] making to source seafood only from MSC-certified fisheries rewards the world's best managed fisheries and contributes to preserving global fish stocks and the marine environment," added Brad Ack, MSC's regional director for the Americas.
On Thursday, the Iturup Island pink and chum salmon harvests became Russia's first and the 55th worldwide to earn the MSC eco-label. More than 150 fisheries worldwide are engaged in the MSC program, with 55 certified, more than 100 in full assessment and 40 to 50 in confidential pre-assessment.
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September 10, 2009
