GAITHERSBURG, Md. – Sodexo Inc., a French multinational foodservice and facility management company, announced the company is asking all of its primary pork suppliers for their plans to eliminate gestation stalls from farms they directly own and operate in addition to their contracted pork operations.
Sodexo is asking suppliers to provide the company with actionable plans by 2017, detailing how they plan to phase out gestation stalls.

"Starting today, all future RFPs for pork and products containing pork will include requirements to demonstrate that gestation stalls will be phased out of the supply chain by 2022," said Jim Pazzanese, vice president of supply management.

"Sodexo is a company committed to strategically partnering with our clients to meet their consumers' needs," said Deborah Hecker, vice president, sustainability and CSR, Sodexo. "We source products that meet stringent requirements for a wide range of factors, including value, nutrition, safety, quality, environmental impact, and animal welfare.

"Today we are taking a big step forward in meeting client needs, consumer interests, and improving animal welfare by asking all of our pork suppliers for clear plans to remove gestation stalls from the production process by 2022," she said.

The company recently amended its Supplier Code of Conduct policy to specifically state that it seeks to work with suppliers who are leaders in their industries with regard to animal welfare and environmental practices, according to Sodexo.

"Creating a more sustainable supply chain that includes best practices in animal welfare is extremely complex for any business where the strategic sourcing priority is to serve specific client needs. It is further complicated by the fact that Sodexo is not directly involved in the care, management or processing of farm animals," Pazzanese said. "Despite these challenges, Sodexo recognizes animal welfare as an important component for a sustainable supply chain and we're committed to educating clients and stakeholders on our sourcing process and promoting the phase out of gestation stalls in our North American operations as a way to deliver on current client needs and consumer interest."