Sodexho Receives 'Five-Star Employer' Honor from U.S. Department of Defense

GAITHERSBURG, Md., February 6, 2007 - Sodexho (NYSE:SDX) announced that the U.S. Department of Defense's Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve organization (ESGR) has given the company “Five-Star Employer” status for its commitment to more than 3,000 U.S. employees who serve in the military. The “Five-Star” status rating is awarded to companies who go above and beyond in their demonstration of support to employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.

“Sodexho is proud of the programs and services we offer to honor our commitment to our National Guard members and Reservists,” said Richard Macedonia, president and CEO of Sodexho, Inc. “I am also pleased to say our programs exceed the legal requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).”

These programs include instituting a 'pay differential' for employees who have been deployed to compensate for lost wages and continuing full benefits for employees and their families during their deployment. Sodexho completed a comprehensive review of its human resources policies to ensure compliance with USERRA and that training was available for managers and supervisors to effectively manage their military employees.

About Sodexho in North America

Sodexho, Inc. ( www.SodexhoUSA.com) is the leading provider of integrated food and facilities management in the U.S., Canada and Mexico, with $6.7 billion in annual revenue and 125,000+ employees. Sodexho offers innovative outsourcing solutions in food service, housekeeping, groundskeeping, 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,  government  and remote sites throughout North America. Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexho proudly serves as the official food service provider for the U.S. Marine Corps.