Sodexho USA Named Among Top Companies for Latinas in 2005

GAITHERSBURG, MD, August 29, 2005 - Sodexho USA (NYSE: SDX), the nation's leading provider of food and facilities management services, announced today that it has been named one of the top 50 companies for Latinas in 2005 by LATINA Style Magazine.

“Sodexho is proud of its diverse and inclusive environment, not just internally with our employees, but with our vendor partners as well,” said Teresa Diaz Ellenburg, executive director of the Office of Employment Rights at Sodexho and chair of the Sodexho Organization of Latinos. “We are honored to be recognized by LATINA Style Magazine for a third time, a strong testament to the diversity initiatives that make Sodexho a leader in the industry.”

According to LATINA Style, more than 800 companies were evaluated based on number of Latina executives, mentoring programs, Latina board members, educational opportunities, alternative work policies, dependent/child care support, employee benefits, women's issues, job retraining and affinity groups. Company involvement in the Hispanic community and philanthropy efforts were also considered.

In addition to being named among the LATINA Style 50, Sodexho has also been named a Top 25 Company for African Americans by Black Professionals Magazine and a Top 10 Company for People with Disabilities, a Top 10 Company for Supplier Diversity, and a Notable Company for Diversity by DiversityInc. Sodexho received the Profiles in Diversity Journal's International Innovation in Diversity award and was named one of Asian Enterprise Magazine's Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans in 2005. Sodexho was also on HISPANIC Magazine's Corporate 100 List of companies that provide the most opportunities for Hispanics and ranked among the Top 100 Employers for the Class of 2005 by Black Collegian Magazine.

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.