23rd Jun 2009 - 00:00
Abstract
Sodexo has announced that it is expanding Aspretto, its fair trade based hot beverage offer to client sites throughout the world following completion of an introductory pilot on 20 sites in five countries.
Sodexo, who buys an average of 8,000 tons of coffee and serves more than one billion cups per year, will expand the offer to 500 sites around the world by year-end. In addition to the quality of the coffees and teas, the Sodexo service offer is conceived around four core principles: diversity, health and well-being, environmental protection and social responsibility. The aspretto offer includes guaranteed traceability of teas and coffees to verify that they are 100% naturally-produced, product-sourcing from local markets accredited by the Rainforest Alliance, the Fairtrade Foundation and the Soil Association, and a reduction of material used. The certifications obtained by Sodexo confirm its contribution to local economic development and education and training programs. In addition, Sodexo donates part of the price to its global STOP Hunger programme that tackles hunger and malnutrition in local communities. During the Aspretto test phase, for example, the purchase of 181 tons of fair trade coffee generated revenue of $40,000 USD for STOP Hunger. Thomas Jelley, corporate citizenship manager, Sodexo UK and Ireland, said: "To us, corporate citizenship is about responsive business practice across all our operations and this is an exciting new example of how we try to integrate economical, social and environmental factors in our daily activity."
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