Sodexo Canada achieves highest level for Progressive Aboriginal Relations certification


BURLINGTON, Ontario, Sept. 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sodexo Canada was recognized in Vancouver last evening by the Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB) as a certified Progressive Aboriginal Relations (PAR) Program company. This is the seventh time the company has been awarded Gold level certification.

“Achieving CCAB PAR Gold certification is an important part of our strategy to support Indigenous businesses in Canada,” says Erwin Joosten, Senior Vice President Engineering and Construction Projects, Sodexo Canada. “We signed our first modern Indigenous partnership agreement in Canada in 1995. The agreement was with a northern Quebec company called Mistco Ventures, now known as Eskan. Our collaboration continues today and with many communities across the country. We’ve built relationships that are true partnerships which benefit the communities where we operate.”

Introduced in 2001, PAR is a leading Canadian Indigenous relations corporate social responsibility program. To earn the designation, companies undergo an independent, third party verification and the final company level is determined by a jury of Indigenous business people. PAR certification is designed to give companies the tools they need to improve and build relationships with the communities they work with or want to work with and makes it easy for Indigenous communities to identify which companies would be good business partners.

“At CCAB, we’re fortunate to work with businesses that are leaders in Progressive Aboriginal Relations,” said JP Gladu, President and CEO, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. “Sodexo Canada has demonstrated its commitment to Indigenous businesses by putting in the work to transform and grow its relationships with Aboriginal businesses and communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast.”

Sodexo works with 89 Indigenous suppliers in 23 Indigenous communities. Sodexo is also a Patron member of CCAB and an active Aboriginal Procurement Champion.

Sodexo in Canada

Sodexo has been delivering On-Site Services in Canada for over 40 years. Recognized as a strategic partner, Sodexo Canada is dedicated to providing Quality of Life Services for clients, their employees and visitors in the corporate, education, healthcare and energy and resources segments. These Quality of Life Services create healthy, safe, and efficient environments allowing individuals and organizations to grow and succeed. Delivering food and facilities management services for over 185 clients, Sodexo is a market leader in Canada in terms of revenue and consumers served and has been recognized as a top employer for the past six consecutive years.  Sodexo Canada is proud to have created the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation, an independent charitable organization that has raised over $3 million to fight hunger and donated more than 1 million meals to at-risk youth across Canada since 2007.

Sodexo in Canada

13,000 employees
100+ services
185+ clients
220+ sites
Follow us on Twitter @SodexoCanada

For more information please contact:

Leslie Booth
Xposure PR
leslie@xposurepr.com
416.427.1588

Photos accompanying this announcement  are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b7cd2269-4e17-491e-b733-7172847dc13a
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/09e2b23d-73fe-495f-ae5c-4abaacfc5071

PAR Gold PAR-Gold