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Sodexho recognized for CEO's commitment to diversity and company's inclusive management practices GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sodexho, Inc., (NYSE:SDX) the nation's leading provider of food and facilities management services, continues to receive wide recognition for its management practices that create a diverse and inclusive corporate culture. DiversityInc announced today that Sodexho has been named among the Top 50 Companies for Diversity for 2006. Sodexho, Inc. ranked number 14 on the list. "I am pleased that Sodexho is again being recognized by DiversityInc for our commitment to building an inclusive environment," said Richard Macedonia, Sodexho, Inc.'s president and CEO. "Sodexho's diversity and inclusion initiatives are key components of our core values and serve as anchors for our growth strategy. By leveraging the diversity of our nearly 120,000 employees, our suppliers, vendors and the diverse client and customer base we serve, Sodexho has a strong competitive advantage." According to DiversityInc, a total of 256 companies (a 100 percent increase over the last three years) competed for a spot on the highly coveted list for the business publication. Companies were surveyed in four areas: human capital, corporate communications, supplier diversity and CEO commitment. This year, more weight was given to CEO commitment, considered the most crucial of the four areas measured in the survey by DiversityInc. "Sodexho's commitment to diversity starts with its CEO and extends to all aspects of its business," said Luke Visconti, partner and cofounder of DiversityInc. "As a Top 50 company, Sodexho demonstrated strong unbiased recruitment and retention as well as excellence in communications and supplier diversity. It is a commitment to these management practices that have earned Sodexho the recognition on the Top 50 list." About DiversityInc Magazine DiversityInc is published by Allegiant Media, a privately owned company with no outside investors. Launched in 2002 as an extension of DiversityInc.com, DiversityInc magazine is the nation's leading source of information for cutting-edge knowledge of the business case for diversity. DiversityInc magazine offers readers more in-depth articles and substantive analysis, building on the company's history as the premier expert on reporting and analyzing diversity issues and their impact on U.S. business and society. About Sodexho, Inc. Sodexho, Inc. (http://www.sodexhousa.com/) is the leading provider of food and facilities management in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with $6.3 billion in annual revenue and 120,000+ employees. Sodexho, Inc. 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 throughout North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, MD, Sodexho, Inc. proudly serves as the official food service provider for the U.S. Marine Corps. DATASOURCE: Sodexho, Inc. CONTACT: Tara Baten of Sodexho, Inc., +1-301-987-4324, or Web site: http://www.sodexhousa.com/ http://www.diversityinc.com/

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