Sysco Corp. SYY

Continues Industry-Leading Alliance With World Wildlife Fund to Elevate Standards, Build Consumer Trust

HOUSTON, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sysco Corporation (NYSE: SYY) today announced an expanded commitment to improve the sustainability of its seafood procurement practices and standards in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF). These new commitments build on past successes and continue to advance Sysco’s position as a global leader in seafood sustainability, set high standards for the seafood industry, establish long-term sustainability goals, and build consumer trust.

Through its continued collaboration with WWF, Sysco will expand the current responsible sourcing program for its U.S. broadline business to also include sourcing for its specialty and Canadian broadline business, as well as increase the purchase of certified responsible seafood. It also adds new commitments to prohibit the sale of endangered species, advance its traceability work and help address deforestation. Specifically, Sysco’s commitments include achieving by the end of 2025:

Improving Sourcing

• Sourcing 100% of its top 15 (by volume) wild-caught Sysco Portico Brand seafood species groups from fisheries that are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), in MSC full assessment, or in a comprehensive Fishery Improvement Project (FIP), and source at least 85% of this top 15 volume from fisheries that are MSC certified
• Sourcing 100% of Sysco Portico Brand canned or pouched tuna products from fisheries that are MSC certified, in MSC full assessment, in a comprehensive FIP, or from companies that are members of the International Seafood Sustainability Association, and source at least 25% of this volume from fisheries that are MSC certified
• Sourcing 100% of its top five (by volume) aquaculture Sysco Portico Brand seafood species groups from farms that are certified by the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC), in ASC full assessment, in a credible Aquaculture Improvement Project , or at a minimum Best Aquaculture Practices 2-star certified, and source at least 20% of this top five volume from farms that are ASC certified
  

Advancing Traceability

• Engaging with suppliers of Sysco Portico Brand farmed shrimp products to ensure supply chains are traceable to the farm’s geographic location and address issues of deforestation or conversion of natural ecosystems (i.e. mangrove ecosystems and other natural wetlands)
• Working with WWF to adopt key traceability principles and build on the work of the Global Dialogue on Seafood Traceability

Protecting Endangered Species

• Prohibiting the sale of endangered species for Sysco seafood products globally, already an immaterial portion of Sysco’s seafood sales
  

“As the world’s leading foodservice distributor, Sysco strives to deliver superior products and services to our customers in a way that balances the needs of people, products and planet,” said Neil Russell, Sysco’s senior vice president of corporate affairs and chief communications officer. “Together with WWF, we will continue working to implement sustainable sourcing practices that advance the health of fisheries and fishing communities around the world.”

Sysco has held a successful partnership on seafood sustainability with WWF since 2009. The company’s commitments during this time have resulted in its sourcing over 700 million pounds of more sustainable seafood, securing the livelihoods for more than 100,000 people, and improving protections for species and habitats worldwide.

“Sysco has been a leader in its industry and the global movement to ensure more sustainable seafood production worldwide,” said Caroline Tippett, senior director of seafood markets at WWF. “Due to its direct engagement, Sysco has influenced global supply chains, markets and fisheries to engage in the journey towards producing more responsible seafood. We greatly commend Sysco’s continued commitment to this movement with its new, even more robust 2025 commitment goals. These efforts help safeguard the natural environment, the livelihoods of people who depend on these resources, and support the future stability of the seafood industry as a whole.”

To learn more about Sysco’s commitment to sustainable seafood, read the Sysco and WWF Seafood Sustainability Report.

About Sysco
Sysco is the global leader in selling, marketing and distributing food products to restaurants, healthcare and educational facilities, lodging establishments and other customers who prepare meals away from home. Its family of products also includes equipment and supplies for the foodservice and hospitality industries. With more than 57,000 associates, the company operates 326 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 625,000 customer locations. For fiscal 2020 that ended June 27, 2020, the company generated sales of more than $52 billion. Information about our CSR program, including Sysco’s 2020 Corporate Social Responsibility Report, can be found at www.sysco.com/csr2020report.

For more information, visit www.sysco.com or connect with Sysco on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SyscoCorporation or Twitter at https://twitter.com/Sysco. For important news and information regarding Sysco, visit the Investor Relations section of the company’s Internet home page at investors.sysco.com, which Sysco plans to use as a primary channel for publishing key information to its investors, some of which may contain material and previously non-public information. In addition, investors should continue to review our news releases and filings with the SEC. It is possible that the information we disclose through any of these channels of distribution could be deemed to be material information. 

For more information contact:       

Shannon Mutschler                                            
Media Contact                                                                                                              
Mutschler.Shannon@corp.sysco.com
T 281-584-4059