Sodexho USA Named Among Top 25 Companies for African Americans by Black Professionals Magazine

GAITHERSBURG, MD, August 22, 2005- Sodexho USA, the nation's leading provider of food and facilities management services, announced today that it has been named to Black Professionals Magazine's list of top 25 companies for African Americans. The list will be featured in the Fall 2005 issue of the magazine.

“Sodexho is proud to be among the top 25 corporations recognized by Black Professionals Magazine,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Macedonia. “We believe that one of the greatest strengths of our company is the diversity of our workforce and we have invested significant efforts to ensure that all of our employees are provided the opportunity to succeed in a diverse and inclusive environment.”

Black Professionals Magazine, a quarterly publication, conducted a survey of 500 of America's major corporations to generate its “Top 25” list. The “Top 25” list is based on the representation of African Americans in senior and middle management, corporate boards, corporate diversity programs and overall workforce diversity initiatives.

In addition to being named among Black Professionals Magazine's Top 25 companies for African Americans, Sodexho has ranked among the Top 100 Employers for the Class of 2005 by Black Collegian Magazine and was on HISPANIC Magazine's Corporate 100 list of companies that provide the most opportunities for Hispanics.

The company has also been named one of Asian Enterprise Magazine's Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans in 2005, a Top 10 Company for People with Disabilities, a Top 10 Company for Supplier Diversity and a Notable Company for Diversity by DiversityInc. Sodexho also received the Profiles in Diversity Journal's International Innovation in Diversity Award and the 2005 Diversity Innovator Award from the Women's Business Center.

Sodexho USA (www.sodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States, with $6 billion in annual revenue and 120,000+ employees. Sodexho USA offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, grounds keeping, plant operations and maintenance, asset management, and laundry services to more than 6,000 corporations, health care, long term care and retirement centers, schools, college campuses, military and remote sites in North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Sodexho USA proudly serves as the official food service provider for the US Marine Corps.