Think these labels we found on foods inside an NPR refrigerator are a lot to digest? Try balancing these considerations with the demands of 50 million diners a day. Maggie Starbard/NPR
From NPR’s The Salt By Eliza Barclay | Surely you’ve noticed the proliferation of certifications advertising farmers’ and food companies’ virtuous commitments to fix the environment or promote health. These seals can reassure, but the sheer volume of them can also confound. How to choose between grass-fed, organic, hormone-free or free range?
Now imagine that you have to feed 50 million people a day in 80 countries around the world. And every day more of those people are demanding that the food you serve them be organic, gluten-free, or fair trade.
That’s the job of Margaret Henry, director of sustainability and corporate social responsibility performance for food service giantSodexo. And it can wield serious purchasing power for commodities like beef, considering it bought about 50 million pounds last year.
But according to Henry, keeping up with the 365 certifications out there is a big pain in the neck. So she’s trying to find a solution.
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