Sodexo's Climate 'A' Grade Sets a New Bar for Global Food Services

ISSY-LES-MOULINEAUX, France – January 12, 2026

By Patrick Walker

In a powerful statement on corporate environmental responsibility, global food and services leader Sodexo has once again secured a place on the prestigious CDP Climate A List. The recognition distinguishes it as a leader among the more than 22,000 companies assessed in 2025 and, critically, marks it as the sole company within its industry to achieve this top-tier rating for climate action. This achievement signals a new benchmark for a sector whose environmental footprint, from farm to fork, is under increasing scrutiny.

CDP, the global non-profit operating what is widely considered the gold standard for environmental disclosure, awarded the 'A' rating based on the company's comprehensive climate transparency and demonstrable performance. Only 4% of companies worldwide made the coveted A List, placing Sodexo in an elite group of corporations leading the charge against climate change. The repeated recognition validates not only the ambition of Sodexo's climate strategy but also the rigor and transparency of its execution.

A League of Its Own: Redefining Sector Standards

Achieving a CDP 'A' rating is no small feat. The organization's scoring methodology is notoriously rigorous, evaluating companies on a scale from 'D-' for basic disclosure to 'A' for demonstrating environmental leadership. To reach the top level, a company must prove it has a deep understanding of climate risks, has implemented robust governance and oversight, and is taking meaningful action aligned with climate science. This includes setting ambitious, science-based targets and having a credible transition plan to achieve them.

Sodexo's distinction as the only company in its sector to receive this honor underscores a significant performance gap between it and its primary competitors, such as Compass Group and Aramark. While other major players in the food and facilities management industry have their own sustainability initiatives, the CDP rating suggests that Sodexo's integration of climate action into its core business, coupled with its detailed public disclosure, currently sets it apart. This leadership is built on a strategy aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to reach Net Zero carbon emissions by 2040—a decade ahead of many corporate pledges.

This sustained performance indicates that for Sodexo, sustainability is not a peripheral activity but a central pillar of its business model. As Mouna Fassi Daoudi, Sodexo Group Chief Sustainability Officer, stated, "We are proud to see Sodexo included once again in the CDP A List, recognizing our teams’ efforts to embed our climate commitments into daily operations in collaboration with our clients. It reinforces our conviction that sustainability serves business performance, as well as positively impacting people and planet."

Beyond the Scorecard: The Mechanics of Climate Action

The 'A' rating is the result of concrete actions and measurable progress. Sodexo's success is anchored in its 'Better Tomorrow' sustainability roadmap. The company is now closing its 2025 plan, which yielded significant emissions reductions: a 37.7% cut in Scope 1 and 2 emissions (direct operations) and a 19.1% reduction in Scope 3 emissions (value chain) against a 2017 baseline. These figures are particularly noteworthy given that Scope 3 emissions, which include supply chains and food production, are notoriously difficult for service-based companies to measure and control.

Building on this momentum, the company has launched its next strategic phase, 'Better Tomorrow 2028'. This new roadmap is designed to accelerate its impact across three core areas: People, Clients, and Planet & Society. Key initiatives include a continued push toward its 2040 Net Zero target, further development of responsible and trusted supply chains, and an intensified focus on waste management.

Operationally, this translates into tangible programs. For instance, the company is re-engineering menus to ensure 70% of its main dishes are classified as "low-carbon" (producing 0.9 kg of CO2 equivalent or less) by 2030. It is also implementing less energy-intensive food preparation methods and aims to use 100% renewable electricity in its direct operations. Furthermore, its 'WasteWatch' program, which uses data analytics to help kitchen staff track and prevent food waste, is being deployed at scale across its 43 operating countries, tackling one of the food service industry's most pressing environmental challenges.

The Ripple Effect: From Corporate Strategy to Daily Meals

For the 80 million consumers Sodexo serves daily in workplaces, hospitals, schools, and event venues, these high-level commitments have a direct impact on their plates and their environment. The shift toward low-carbon meals means a greater emphasis on plant-based ingredients and sustainably sourced proteins, contributing to a broader transition toward more sustainable food systems without compromising on taste or quality.

This strategy also extends to Sodexo's role as a partner to its clients. As organizations globally face pressure to improve their own environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance, Sodexo's proven sustainability credentials become a key differentiator. By offering sustainable meal options, improving resource efficiency, and providing transparent data on waste and emissions, Sodexo enables its clients to meet their own sustainability targets. This transforms the traditional client-vendor relationship into a strategic partnership focused on shared environmental goals.

The company's framework also explicitly links planetary health with social well-being. The 'Planet & Society' pillar of its 'Better Tomorrow 2028' plan includes its long-standing 'Stop Hunger' initiative, which fights food insecurity worldwide. This dual focus demonstrates an understanding that environmental action and social responsibility are interconnected, reinforcing the company’s stated purpose to “create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all.”

The ESG Advantage: Translating Ratings into Market Value

Sodexo's sustained leadership in climate action carries significant weight in the financial markets and regulatory landscape. Investors, who collectively manage trillions of dollars, increasingly use CDP's data to vet companies, assess climate-related risks, and identify resilient, forward-thinking investments. A consistent 'A' rating signals strong governance and effective risk management, making the company more attractive to a growing pool of sustainability-focused capital.

Moreover, as global regulations around climate disclosure tighten, with frameworks like the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) and new standards from the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) becoming mandatory in many jurisdictions, Sodexo's history of comprehensive reporting positions it ahead of the curve. This proactive stance not only ensures compliance but also minimizes the risk of being caught flat-footed by future regulatory shifts.

By setting a high bar for environmental performance and transparency, Sodexo is not just securing a competitive advantage; it is actively shaping the expectations for the entire food and services sector. This leadership puts pressure on competitors to accelerate their own climate ambitions, potentially sparking a wider industry movement toward more sustainable practices and greater accountability.