Sodexo receives top ranking on palm oil scorecard

Food service and facilities management company Sodexo has received a score of nine out of nine from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) on its Palm Oil Buyers Scorecard.

The ranking, which assesses the progress of companies towards being a responsible user of palm oil, reflects Sodexo’s undertaking to improve its practices regarding sourcing sustainable palm oil and in raising awareness — within the supplier community, its sourcing teams and with clients and customers — about the importance of sourcing certified sustainably produced palm oil.

“The need for sustainable practices in the palm oil industry has become increasingly urgent, especially considering the devastation in Indonesia this past year due to toxic haze that has been linked to palm oil and paper production. Raising environmental standards across the entire global supply chain is both an economic and ethical responsibility. At Sodexo, we select and source products that support the development of a sustainable palm oil industry and work with suppliers and producers that share the same level of commitment to conducting business responsibly,” said Neil Barrett, Sodexo Group SVP Sustainable Development.

Where sustainable palm oil cannot be sourced, the company purchases GreenPalm certificates to reward palm producers for working in a sustainable and responsible way.

Palm oil is now the most widely used vegetable oil on the planet, accounting for 65% of all vegetable oil traded internationally, and its use is expected to double by 2020.