Sodexo named as one of "World's Most Ethical Companies"

Sodexo announced that it has been named one of the 2009 World's Most Ethical Companies by the Ethisphere Institute. The quality of life solutions company with a core business of Food and Facilities Management services and one of the world's leading employers, was recognized for going beyond legal minimums, implementing innovative programs that benefit its 50 million global customers and the general public, and setting a high standard for its industry peers, business partners and suppliers in terms of ethical leadership.

“Ethical business practices are deeply rooted in Sodexo's corporate culture,” said Michel Landel Group CEO Sodexo, adding, “Recognition as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies is a great honor that reflects the ongoing efforts of our 355,000 employees around the world to ensure that we live up to our ethical standards and values.”

This is the third year Ethisphere, a think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability, has published the WME rankings, which appear in Ethisphere Magazine's Q1 issue.

Through a rigorous, multi-step evaluation process, Ethisphere's researchers and analysts reviewed more than 10,000 companies in order to determine the finalists.

“Sodexo has proven to be one of the world leaders in upholding high ethical standards, making it a true standout in its industry, especially as unethical business actions and decisions grab headlines each day,” said Alex Brigham, Executive Director of the Ethisphere Institute. “The competition for this year's World's Most Ethical Companies was very strong and we applaud Sodexo for rising to the top. Sodexo recognizes that being ethical is not only the right thing to do, it is also good business practice and leads to more successful and profitable operations.”

To view the complete list of the 2009 World's Most Ethical Companies, please visit www.ethisphere.org/wme2009.