<p><strong>Orlando, FL</strong><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Darden Restaurants has released its second sustainability report. The company notes that it has made progress in all areas of sustainability across its more than 1,900 restaurants, 180,000 employees and global supply chain, according to a press release. A significant area of progress has been in the company's 2015 goal of reducing water consumption in each of its restaurants, by which it has exceeded by 15 percent on aggregate and is more than half way toward meeting the same goal for reducing energy consumption in its restaurants, the release notes.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> "Water scarcity, declining fish stocks, health and wellness and developing future talent – these are just some of the issues shaping our operating environment, our communities and our business," said Clarence Otis, Chairman and CEO of Darden. "We recognize we have the responsibility to make a positive difference around a host of sustainability issues to drive the growth of our company while also creating social value."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> The Sustainability Report is organized around three core initiatives: People, Planet, and Plate. The "People" platform includes accomplishments ranging from becoming the first full-service restaurant company named to the FORTUNE "100 Best Companies to Work For" list in 2011 and 2012 to investing $130 million annually in employee training, professional development and diversity initiatives.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> The "Planet" platform boasts progress in areas that have resulted in everything from reducing restaurant water usage by 17 percent on an aggregate basis between FY08-FY11, exceeding its 2015 goal of 15 percent reduction and conserving more than 1 billion gallons of water to reducing restaurant energy use between FY08-FY11, reaching more than half of its 2015 goal of 15 percent reduction.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> As for the "Plate" initiative, the accomplishments range from pledging to reduce its restaurants' overall calorie and sodium footprints by 10 percent over the next five years and 20 percent over the next 10 years to announcing a "Seafood Stewardship Policy," advancing Darden's commitment to support wild fisheries and aquaculture in order to help meet the growing demand for healthy, safe, secure and sustainable food supply while preserving and enhancing ecosystems. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href=" http://www.darden.com" target="_new">Darden Restaurants</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
