Sodexho USA Named A Top Company for Hispanics in 2005

GAITHERSBURG, MD, September 26, 2005 - Sodexho USA (NYSE: SDX), the nation's leading provider of food and facilities management services, has been named by Hispanic Business magazine as a “Top 40 Company for Hispanics” ranking sixth in the magazine's exclusive annual directory. The magazine contacted the top 400 companies on the FORTUNE 500 to compile the list.

Hispanic Business's Top 40 Companies measures a company's total commitment to Hispanics in the workplace. Unlike other “Best Company” lists, which focus on entry-level hiring, this directory is based on an in-depth analysis of 30 critical statistics, examining how companies reach Hispanics in recruitment, promotion, marketing, philanthropy and supplier diversity.

“It is a terrific honor for Sodexho to be among, not just the top forty but the top ten companies for Hispanics and we thank Hispanic Business magazine for this special recognition,” said Michael Montelongo, senior vice president of strategic marketing at Sodexho.

“It's very gratifying because this says the marketplace sees us as we see ourselves - a vibrant company where diversity is a business and people imperative, a strength, and a point of differentiation. It's one of the key reasons top talent seeks us, suppliers partner with us, and clients and customers look to us for exceptional, progressive service solutions. Frankly, it's why I recently joined this team. At Sodexho, we cultivate an inclusive environment where employees of all backgrounds are welcome and grow to achieve their fullest potential. This extends to the relationships we build and the communities we serve, where we work very closely with Hispanic organizations to provide leadership development and scholarships to help the next generation of leaders.”

Sodexho has also been named a Top 10 Company for People with Disabilities, a Top 10 Company for Supplier Diversity, and a Notable Company for Diversity by DiversityInc. Sodexho appeared on the Top 50 Companies for Latinas list by LATINA Style Magazine, HISPANIC Magazine's Corporate 100 List of companies that provide the most opportunities for Hispanics and Hispanic Trends Magazine's list of Top 50 Corporations for Supplier Diversity.

Sodexho is also a Top 25 Company for African Americans according to Black Professionals Magazine and is ranked among the Top 100 Employers for the Class of 2005 by Black Collegian Magazine.

Sodexho has received the Profiles in Diversity Journal's International Innovation in Diversity Award and the National Women's Business Center's Diversity Innovator Award and is proud to be one of Asian Enterprise Magazine's Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans in 2005.

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.