Unidine, Compass Group USA and Farm Animal Welfare
July 2021
Doing the right thing is embedded in our company culture. It empowers us to advocate for change, push for transparency, and to continually seek ways to be more socially and environmentally responsible. We collaborate with our clients and give our operators ownership to embrace tools, programs and partnerships that provide them the sustainability solutions needed to drive positive change in the food system. In recognition of the measurable and innovative social impact of our strategy, Compass Group was named to Fortune Magazine’s prestigious list of 50 Companies that Change the World in 2016, named in Fast Company’s annual ranking of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2018 and made Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for three consecutive years.
Compass Group USA Transparency Pledge:
- We will report products from a third-party animal welfare auditing system on our sustainability scorecard.
- We will report on the % of animals in our commitment (eggs, veal and sows) free from cages and crates on our sustainability scorecard.
- We will report products purchased free of eggs on our sustainability scorecard.
- We will provide an annual update on our industry discussion for supply chain improvement.
- We will report all products produced with minimal use or free of hormones and antibiotics on our sustainability scorecard.
Compass Group USA releases an annual Corporate Sustainability Report (CSR) that includes our sustainability scorecard which can be found here.
Compass Group USA is a company of firsts. As the world’s largest foodservice company, we have the scale, expertise and opportunity to change the world. Our strategy is to continue to lead the way with our actions and positively impact both people and the planet. In addition, we intend to future-proof our business by collaborating and partnering with industry leaders and experts while also making commitments to make disproportionate change wherever possible.
Compass Group USA has been recognized for our efforts by the following:
- September 2016: The Good Egg Award recognizes companies that use or have committed (within five years) to use cage-free eggs or egg products.
- September 2016: Listed as Fortune’ Change the World List for companies
- November 2016: Compass Group USA Becomes First Foodservice Company to Commit To 100%Healthier, Slower Growing Chicken by 2024 through Landmark Global Animal Partnership Agreement
- February 2018: Compass Group USA was recognized as one of Fast Company’s 50 Most Innovative Companies for 2018, 1st in the Food Category
- February 2020: Compass Group USA’s Carbon Foodprint program won the 2019 SEAL Business Sustainability Award
Animal Welfare
We source proteins from suppliers that promote the humane welfare of farm animals. Compass Group USA Commitments are based upon the Five Freedoms of Animal Welfare developed by the Farm Animal Welfare Committee of the United Kingdom. They are:
- Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition
- Freedom from discomfort
- Freedom from pain, injury and disease
- Freedom to express normal behavior
- Freedom from fear and distress
- In 2012 Compass Group USA made a commitment to eliminate the use of foie gras on our menus across all our companies.
- Since 2012 Bon Appétit only serves ground beef from animals fed a vegetarian diet, never given antibiotics or artificial hormones, and from a third-party certified humane source. Compass Group USA is committed to working with our suppliers to address issues of pain management for castration and the elimination of disbudding.
- Bon Appétit eliminated crated veal in 2011. Compass Group USA eliminated the use of veal calves confined in crates in 2017
- In 2020, we purchased more than 10 million pounds of Certified Humane Animal Proteins.
- As of May 2021, Compass Group USA only purchased Certified Humane Cage-Free eggs.
- Compass Group USA and the animal welfare certification program Global Animal Partnership (GAP) announced a historic and unique partnership to transform the welfare of chickens within Compass Group USA’s supply chain. This was GAP’s first-ever partnership with a foodservice company and will result in improving the lives of approximately 60 million broiler chickens per year.
Global Animal Partnership (GAP) Press Release
Cage-free Egg Update
Purchases July 2020 – June 2021
Cage-free Shell Eggs: 94%
Cage-free Liquid Eggs: 51%*
*Deviation from our commitment was due to supply chain constraints. Accelerated conversion to Cage-Free liquid eggs began in January 2021 with full conversion completed in May 2021.
Certified Humane Update
In 2015, we introduced our updated sustainability platform that was anchored in transparency and reporting. We sought to create change where we could have the most significant impact. In our ongoing effort to positively impact our food system, we set a goal to double the volume of animal proteins from ranches and farms whose practices have been certified by Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC)’s Certified Humane program by 2020. This certification ensures a higher level of welfare for the animals. Through close relationships with our suppliers and the dedication of our talented chefs, we increased our purchases from 1.3 million pounds to over 16 million pounds by early 2020. We are incredibly proud of this achievement and are excited to continue our progress.
Gestation Crate Free Pork Update
In 2012, Compass Group USA announced it would “eliminate all pork that comes from animals bred using gestation crates in its U.S. supply chain by 2017.” Our ability to purchase pork from gestation crate-free environments has been limited due to existing supply chain constraints. While we did not meet that target, currently, 10% of our pork comes from supply chains where gestation crates have been reduced by allowing breeding pigs to spend most of their lives in groups.
Moving forward, by the end of 2020, 100% of our contracted bacon will come from higher welfare group-housed pork. After the transition, group-housed pork purchases will represent 30% of our total pork volume. We view this as progress in the right direction. We are continuing to influence our suppliers and develop a plan of action to reduce pork raised using gestation crates.
Reduced Antibiotics
We source foods that are produced with minimal use of – or free from – chemicals and antibiotics, including milk, yogurt, and poultry. Since 2010, Compass Group USA has had a commitment regarding the elimination of the recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) from all liquid dairy products and yogurt.
Sustainable Seafood
Compass Group USA is proud of our partnership with Seafood Watch, which began in 2005. We follow Seafood Watch recommendations and strive to only source “Best Choice” (Green) and “Good Alternative” (Yellow) rated seafood from a sustainable supply chain. Under the direction of Seafood Watch and facilitated by Changing Tastes, Compass Group joined as a founding member of the Sustainable Seafood Roundtable, whose mission is to pursue an industry-wide strategy using selected supply-chain opportunities that have the potential for greater positive impact on our oceans.
Compass Group USA was the first foodservice company to announce a commitment to sourcing 100% of canned Skipjack Tuna as Fish Aggregating Device (FAD)-Free beginning January 1, 2015. This change in sourcing impacts over 1.9 million pounds of skipjack tuna, more than 50% of Compass Group’s total canned tuna purchases annually. We have also committed to sourcing FAD-Free Yellowfin Tuna. In 2017 we met our goal of sourcing 100% of our contracted seafood items as sustainable.
2020 goal: We will serve only wild- caught and aquaculture seafood from environmentally responsible sources or from sources that are on a clear path towards improvement.
Update: To date, our sustainable seafood purchases are 80% of our total seafood spend. Due to business being closed during the COVID pandemic, our numbers have decreased; however, we are working closely with our operators and suppliers to increase our sustainable seafood.
Plant-Forward
Compass Group USA has recognized the plant forward way of eating for over a decade before we knew what “plant forward” was.
- In 2009, we launched the Be a Flexitarian Campaign that promotes substituting plant-based protein for animal protein one day a week.
- Launched in 2012 by The Culinary Institute of America and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Compass Group USA was a founding member of Menus of Change which is a groundbreaking initiative that works to realize a long-term, practical vision integrating optimal nutrition, environmental stewardship and social responsibility concerns within the foodservice industry and the culinary profession.
- We also have the honor of sitting on the Menus of Change Business Leadership Council, which helps shape the conference. A key initiative that we explore through Menus of Change is making plant-forward dining a mainstream concept.
We’ve always ensured that our guests that identify with a particular diet or way of eating, whether it’s vegan, vegetarian, or other, have plenty of options. In our internal recipe database, Webtrition, over half of the recipes are vegan and vegetarian.
Compass Group USA recognizes the impact that carbon-intensive animal products have on not only our waistlines but our environment. In 2016, we created the Veg Rev Tour which is an annual trip to Los Angeles where a group of our chefs spend the day eating and gaining inspiration from some of the best plant-forward restaurants in the city. Our Chefs are able to take those ideas back to their sectors to create programs and recipes that work for their business and guests. The program was so successful that it has been developed into an online training course for our chefs to advance their knowledge of plant- based cooking techniques.
We continually create programs and promotions that help our cafes increase the menuing of whole grains and vegetables in an effort to reduce the amount of animal proteins being served. All of our sectors have blended burger program sat their grill stations and provide vegan and vegetarian options at every station in their cafés. We feature several different plant-forward concepts that appeal to all of our guests. Not Junk Food which is a fast-food style “junk food” program that features a completely vegan menu. The program features the Impossible Burger and other house-made drive- through style favorites like Buffalo Cauliflower “nuggets” and “pulled pork” sandwiches made with jackfruit. Not Junk Food was awarded “Best Menu” by Food Management in 2018. We are passionate about partnering with industry leaders and entrepreneurs to keep wholesome food exciting and accessible. Working with innovative companies like Memphis Meats, Beyond Meat, Impossible Food, Seattle Food Tech, and The Jackfruit Company allows us to introduce exciting and better-for-you options to our guests.