Sodexo awarded bronze Soil Association Food for Life Catering Mark

Sodexo has been awarded the Soil Association's Food for Life Bronze Catering Mark for serving fresh and healthy meals in all its UK primary schools.

The Catering Mark is a unique scheme which recognises caterers and restaurants who serve fresh food that is free from controversial additives and better for animal welfare.

The food service and facilities management firm provides more than one million meals a day, across all its sectors.

The bronze Catering Mark means that in primary schools it serves seasonal meals that are freshly prepared and free from undesirable additives including MSG, tartrazine and aspartame. No GM ingredients are used and all eggs are from cage-free hens.

Colm O'Mahony, divisional director for Sodexo Education, said: "Through our 26-year Healthwise campaign and food offers such as 'Club Joules' and 'Be part of it', we are able to create exciting, nutritional and healthy meals for children every day."

The Food for Life Catering Mark originated as part of the successful Food for Life Partnership, which is working with 3,800 schools across the country to put fresh, healthy dinners on the school menu and food education in the timetable.

Food for Life Partnership schools have reported an increase in attendance as well as improved behaviour, and meal take-up has risen by almost three times the national average in schools which have been awarded the Catering Mark.

Sodexo has also achieved Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification and Red Tractor accreditation. It is also a member of LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) and currently working closely with Freedom Food to increase the amount of high-welfare salmon, chicken, pork and eggs sourced by Sodexo.

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By Janie Stamford

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