TORONTO, Jan. 23,
2025 /CNW/ - Aramark Canada, one of the
country's largest food service providers, announced today its
pioneering step as the first Canadian contract catering company to
commit to the Coolfood Pledge, a science-based target to reduce
food-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 25 percent by 2030.
The move represents a deeper involvement with the World Resources
Institute's Coolfood initiative, which helps the food industry
slash GHG emissions in line with cutting edge climate science.
This initiative is a cornerstone of Aramark's sustainability
strategy, "Be Well. Do Well.," aimed at creating a positive impact
on both people and the planet. The move bolsters Aramark's global
sustainability efforts and advances its commitment to setting
science-based targets, including its path to net-zero emissions by
2050; since nearly half of the company's greenhouse gas emissions
come from the food it purchases and serves.
"Since we introduced WRI's Coolfood Meals program to our
Higher Education partners three years ago, we have seen the demand
for climate-friendly and plant-forward meal choices continue to
grow across multiple business segments," said Michael Yarymowich, Director of Sustainability
at Aramark Canada. "Signing the Coolfood Pledge is the next step
in our collaborative partnership with WRI to significantly reduce
GHG emissions, providing our teams with a clearly defined goal,
while at the same time underlining our commitment to fighting
climate change."
Aramark Canada has been serving low carbon certified Coolfood
meals in select universities since 2022. These low carbon meals are
third party verified by WRI's experts and allow diners to
quickly identify options that are delicious and better for the
planet. The success of these offerings has paved the way for
introducing Coolfood Meals to hundreds of additional Canadian
locations, making it even more convenient for guests to make
climate-friendly food choices in Higher Education, Business Dining,
and Healthcare dining facilities across Canada through 2025 and beyond.
Today's announcement builds on Aramark's existing Coolfood
program and partnership with WRI. The company currently offers more
than 3000 Coolfood meals across more than 1000 accounts in
the United States and in 2022
became the first contract caterer in the US to sign the Coolfood
Pledge, thereby establishing a bold standard for reducing
food-related emissions within the industry.
"With its enormous reach, Aramark's commitment to cut food's
climate impact sends a message to the entire industry that this is
the future of dining," said Jenny
Arthur, Head of Coolfood at World Resources Institute.
"We're excited about the positive feedback from Aramark's
consumers, too. It goes to show that sustainable menu offerings can
be as delicious and exciting as many classic dishes."
For more information on Aramark Canada's sustainability
initiatives and to explore their ongoing environmental efforts,
visit Aramark Canada's Environmental, Social, and Governance
page.
About Coolfood
Coolfood is an initiative of
the World Resources Institute (WRI) that helps food-service
organizations measure and reduce their food-related carbon
emissions. Through a peer-reviewed calculator and methodology,
Coolfood provides farm to fork insights on GHG emissions and the
carbon opportunity cost of food procured. Through our work with
leading contract caterers, flagship city governments, and
healthcare facilities, Coolfood certified meals are helping
businesses fulfill consumers desire for low-carbon meal offerings,
in a way that is simple for businesses and trusted by
consumers.
About Aramark
Aramark (NYSE: ARMK) proudly serves
the world's leading educational institutions, Fortune 500
companies, world champion sports teams, prominent healthcare
providers, iconic destinations and cultural attractions, and
numerous municipalities in 15 countries around the world with food
and facilities management. Because of our hospitality culture, our
employees strive to do great things for each other, our partners,
our communities, and the planet. Aramark has been recognized on
FORTUNE's list of "World's Most Admired Companies," The Civic 50 by
Points of Light 2024, Fair360's "Top 50 Companies for Diversity"
and "Top Companies for Black Executives," Newsweek's list of
"America's Most Responsible Companies 2024," the HRC's "Best Places
to Work for LGBTQ Equality," and earned a score of 100 on the
Disability Equality Index. Learn more at
www.aramark.com and connect with us
on LinkedIn, Facebook, X,
and Instagram.
SOURCE Aramark Canada Ltd.
