ARAMARK Supports Development of New Clean Air-Cool Planet Food Service Carbon Tracking Tool

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ARAMARK Higher Education, a world leader in providing professional services to more than 600 colleges and universities throughout North America, has partnered with Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP), the leading science-based non profit organization dedicated solely to finding and promoting solutions to global warming, to support CA-CP’s development of the “CHarting Emissions from Food Services” (CHEFS) food service carbon calculator.

“The CHEFS tool will be especially meaningful in that it is the first carbon footprint tool to reflect growing methods and supply chain models in the U.S. and Canada. Most existing programs use European data.”

The new CHEFS tool, the first of its kind to reflect North American agricultural and supply chain models, will quantify the environmental impact of growing, producing, transporting, preparing and disposing of food on North American college campuses. As the founding sponsor for this initiative, ARAMARK plans to share this new research data with all of its partner campuses.

“We are proud to have ARAMARK as a partner and founding sponsor in our efforts to help the food service industry calculate and strategically reduce its greenhouse gas impact,” said Adam Markham, CEO of Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP). “The CHEFS tool will be especially meaningful in that it is the first carbon footprint tool to reflect growing methods and supply chain models in the U.S. and Canada. Most existing programs use European data.”

“The CHEFS program, measuring the carbon footprint of foods served on college campuses, will yield more accurate, transparent data that will help our chefs and dining managers make more responsible decisions about the foods we serve, while allowing students to learn about the environmental impact of the foods they select,” said Christopher Stemen, Senior Director of Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship, ARAMARK Higher Education. “The initial goals of the program are to test existing data, collect missing attributes and adjust data to align with U.S. food growing and distribution models.”

The CHEFS program is being piloted on 10 ARAMARK-partner campuses, including Arizona State University, Boston University, Grand Valley State University, Furman University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University, The Evergreen State College, University of Florida, Vassar College and Wesley College.

Several of these campuses were instrumental in the original conceptualization of the CHEFS program, including Johns Hopkins University, whose Center for a Livable Future conducted the foundational research (http://www.jhsph.edu/clf/PDF_Files/Foodprint_Report.pdf) upon which the program is based, and Furman University, whose sustainability team encouraged CA-CP to create this resource.

“The new calculator tool will measure the impact of food purchasing decisions, and the close partnership with ARAMARK will help ensure that the tool has been thoroughly tested and is as relevant and user-friendly as possible to dining service operations on an institutional scale,” Markham added.

The CHEFS tool will work in tandem with CA-CP’s current Campus Carbon Calculator^TMwhich tracks direct campus emissions, and is generally regarded as the “tool of record” for most of the 650 signatories to the American Colleges and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), a voluntary agreement to move toward campus climate neutrality.

ARAMARK’s Commitment to Environmental Stewardship

At ARAMARK, we are committed to protecting and improving the environment. We work to reduce our environmental footprint while offering expertise and practical solutions to thousands of client locations to help them reduce their environmental impacts. Throughout our company, we develop and implement programs that promote sustainability through environmental friendly products and practices, sustainable food and local purchasing options, energy and water conservation efforts, and waste management.

Green Thread™ was introduced in 2008 by ARAMARK and is a brand that encompasses a range of options for environmental programs and practices. Green Thread™ allows ARAMARK and our clients to efficiently customize a joint strategy that educates and engages consumers in environmental practices that extend from our on-site operations to opportunities at home for the entire family.

About Clean Air – Cool Planet

Clean Air-Cool Planet (CA-CP) is the leading organization dedicated solely to finding and promoting solutions to global warming. We partner with companies, campuses, communities and science centers to help reduce their carbon emissions. CA-CP helps partners, their constituents, and other regional opinion leaders and stakeholders understand the impacts of global warming and its best available solutions, through comprehensive outreach efforts celebrating commitment, innovation and success in climate action. CA-CP showcases practical climate solutions that demonstrate the economic opportunities and environmental benefits associated with early actions on climate change; and CA-CP proposes and recommends the implementation of effective policy solutions aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the state, regional and national levels. Those interested in sponsoring the program should contact Jennifer Andrews via CA-CP’s website at www.cleanair-coolplanet.org.

About ARAMARK Higher Education

ARAMARK Higher Education is dedicated to excellence in dining, facility, conference center, and stadium and arena services. ARAMARK enhances the living and learning experience and environment for more than 600 colleges and universities throughout North America. For more information and a list of our services, visit www.aramarkhighered.com.

About ARAMARK

ARAMARK is a leader in professional services, providing award-winning food services, facilities management, and uniform and career apparel to health care institutions, universities and school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world. In FORTUNE magazine's 2009 list of "World's Most Admired Companies," ARAMARK was ranked number one in its industry, consistently ranking since 1998 as one of the top three most admired companies in its industry as evaluated by peers and analysts. ARAMARK seeks to responsibly address issues that matter to its clients, customers, employees and communities by focusing on employee advocacy, environmental stewardship, health and wellness, and community involvement. Headquartered in Philadelphia, ARAMARK has approximately 260,000 employees serving clients in 22 countries. Learn more at the company's Web site, www.aramark.com, or www.twitter.com/aramarknews.