To: Gene Lee, CEO of Darden Restaurants
Tell Darden to make its food healthier, more sustainable and fair
We urge Darden to adopt greener menus that support the well-being of its customers, its workers, farmers, animals and our environment. Specifically, we urge Darden to eliminate the use of routine antibiotics from its meat supply and ensure at least 20% of its food purchases adhere to the Good Food Purchasing Principles by 2020*.
These include supporting:
1. Local Economies: by purchasing food at fair prices from local and regional small and medium-sized food producers;
2. Environmental Sustainability: by reducing meat and dairy purchases by 20 percent, including serving smaller portion sizes and adding meat/dairy-free entree options; sourcing from organically certified food producers (including, no factory farms/CAFOs);
3. Animal Welfare: by sourcing meat from producers that adhere to verifiable high-welfare standards: Animal Welfare Approved, Global Animal Partnership (at least step 2) and/or Certified Humane Raised and Handled;
4. Good Nutrition: by including generous portions of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains; and by reducing salt, added sugar, fat, and red and processed meat; and
5. A Valued Workforce: by ensuring fair compensation and sustainable working conditions, both in your supply chain and for all the employees in your restaurants.
*These principles, which were approved by the LA Food Policy Council in and LA Unified School District in 2012 govern those entities purchasing (including 127 million meals at LAUSD).
These include supporting:
1. Local Economies: by purchasing food at fair prices from local and regional small and medium-sized food producers;
2. Environmental Sustainability: by reducing meat and dairy purchases by 20 percent, including serving smaller portion sizes and adding meat/dairy-free entree options; sourcing from organically certified food producers (including, no factory farms/CAFOs);
3. Animal Welfare: by sourcing meat from producers that adhere to verifiable high-welfare standards: Animal Welfare Approved, Global Animal Partnership (at least step 2) and/or Certified Humane Raised and Handled;
4. Good Nutrition: by including generous portions of fruits and vegetables, legumes, whole grains; and by reducing salt, added sugar, fat, and red and processed meat; and
5. A Valued Workforce: by ensuring fair compensation and sustainable working conditions, both in your supply chain and for all the employees in your restaurants.
*These principles, which were approved by the LA Food Policy Council in and LA Unified School District in 2012 govern those entities purchasing (including 127 million meals at LAUSD).
Why is this important?
Darden Restaurants owns and operates more than 1,500 restaurants -- including Olive Garden, Longhorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze, Yard House, and The Capital Grille. Through these restaurants, Darden employs more than 150,000 people and serves more than 320 million meals a year, in terms of revenue.
As the nation’s largest casual-dining operator, Darden has a unique opportunity and responsibility to use its considerable purchasing power to improve food industry practices and support a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food system.
Sign the petition now!
As the nation’s largest casual-dining operator, Darden has a unique opportunity and responsibility to use its considerable purchasing power to improve food industry practices and support a healthier, fairer and more sustainable food system.
Sign the petition now!