Zero waste green concept

Sodexo announced the company’s contributions in helping long-time partner Cox Enterprises earn the distinction of a Zero Waste Business by Zero Waste USA. Cox Enterprises' steadfast 24-year partnership with Sodexo has played a pivotal role in this achievement, contributing to an impressive 92 percent waste diversion rate at Cox Enterprises’ corporate headquarters where Sodexo manages food services.

In partnership with Cox Enterprises, Sodexo implemented a comprehensive four-part strategy to achieve Zero Waste, focusing on effective personnel training, efficient waste management, food recovery processes and partnerships, and packaging optimizations. This outcome was a key part of Cox’s enterprise strategy. Since 2013, Cox has diverted over 750 million pounds of waste, equivalent to 10 million reams of paper, 60 million apples, and metal from more than 4,000 vehicles.

In 2018, Sodexo introduced its proprietary waste management tool, WasteWatch by Leanpath, helping Cox Enterprises reduce food waste by 56 percent to date based on their baseline data and ultimately preventing 150,000 pounds of food from being wasted. Additionally, through a partnership with Goodr, Cox Enterprises has donated over 1,500 meals, saving nearly 1 ton of food from ending up in landfills. As a result of these combined efforts, nearly 500 metric tons of carbon emissions have been avoided.

“We are extremely proud of reaching our Zero Waste goal, which is a testament to our commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility,” says Meredith Lindvall, assistant vice president of waste, water & nature-biodiversity at Cox Enterprises. "Together with the support and expertise of our valued partner Sodexo, we have shown that it is possible to stay focused on a long-term sustainability goal that creates positive impact for our business, our communities and our planet."

“Sodexo and Cox Enterprises share a common vision of leveraging innovative solutions to meet sustainability goals and set a precedent for other organizations aiming to improve their corporate social responsibility achievements. Through partnership with our clients and communities and a commitment to adjusting our operations in ways that drive meaningful change, it is possible to reach these ambitious goals and certifications. We are proud to be a part of this journey,” says Renee McKeon, vice president of Sustainability & CSR, Corporate Services at Sodexo US.

By working closely with recyclers and sustainability vendors to find innovative ways to eliminate waste and contribute to the circular economy, Cox provided a net benefit of $340 million to their business.