Aramark, a global provider of hospitality, facilities, and uniform services in 19 countries, today released its 2021 Be Well. Do Well. Impact Report, a significantly expanded version of its annual sustainability report that highlights the processes Aramark has in place to manage key environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, and progress toward its sustainability goals.
To enhance its reporting and disclosures, Aramark added several components to its report for the first time including:
- Materiality analysis,
- A new approach to stakeholder engagement,
- Supplemental details on compliance and governance,
- Data aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD),
- Additional demographic workforce data.
“Despite the challenges our business faced as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the past year only underscored our continued focus on what’s really important: making a positive impact on people and our planet,” said Aramark CEO, John Zillmer. “More than ever, this work is critical – not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because addressing ESG topics helps us identify opportunities for business growth, respond to stakeholders, and manage risks to our business.”
PEOPLE IMPACT
Following the establishment of an Executive Diversity Council in 2020, Aramark has made progress on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The company conducted a thorough assessment of its current state and created teams to help attract and recruit diverse talent, grow and develop its people, and ensure a culture of accountability. Fifty five percent of the direct reports of CEO, John Zillmer, are women, and 32.3 percent of salaried managers are people of color. Membership in employee resource groups (ERGs) has increased more than 25 percent in the past six months, and more than 122 events or engagement activities have taken place in the past year. The report also provides updates and progress on employee engagement, how Aramark empowers health and wellness, builds local communities, and sources products in an ethical and inclusive way.
PLANET IMPACT
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is also critical to Aramark’s success. The company evaluated and strengthened the targets and key performance indicators driving its goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 15 percent by 2025. The company determined that a significant portion of its emissions come from purchased goods and services, so it will examine sourcing practices and menu offerings to further reduce emissions related to these areas. The company also raised its ambition level on climate impact, by committing to set enterprise-wide science-based targets. Additional accomplishments highlighted in the report are Aramark’s fuel consumption reduction, food waste minimization, and single-use plastics reduction.
“Aramark has taken significant action over the past year to make a positive impact on people and planet, by enabling equity and wellbeing and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. When it comes to operating as a sustainable company, the expectations of our stakeholders are growing, and we’re rising to the challenge,” said Ash Hanson, Aramark’s SVP and Chief Diversity & Sustainability Officer. “Through our strategic planning, materiality assessment, operational execution, impact measurement, and with our work to improve and evolve our reporting and disclosures, we’re striving to do our part to create a better world.”
To read Aramark’s 2021 Be Well. Do Well. Impact Report, please click here.
