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Morrison Takes a Stand for Healthy Food in Health Care

Morrison Takes a Stand for Healthy Food in Health Care

Published 03-17-09

Submitted by Compass Group North America

ATLANTA,GA. - March 17, 2009 - As a role model in health care food and nutrition services, Atlanta-based Morrison Management Specialists extended its commitment to nutritious sustainable food by becoming the first major national food service company to take the Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) "Healthy Food in Health Care Food Service Contractor Pledge."

Jamie Harvie, coordinator of HCWH's Healthy Food in Health Care Initiative, said, "When a leader like Morrison pledges their support for sustainable food service practices, it sends a message to the rest of the industry. We're thrilled that a top organization is taking the initiative to sign the pledge and further their commitment to the thousands of guests they serve each day."

The pledge states that participants will support their client hospitals' interest in providing local sustainable food as well as educate, track and report their progress on the adoption of socially responsible food practices.

Scott MacLellan, Morrison’s CEO, adds, "By signing this promise, we are raising the bar. We will continue to be conscious of what we buy and serve. Our industry needs to pay closer attention to the food we purchase, how it's harvested and how it affects our society's health and well-being. We'll also continue to align ourselves with organizations that care about the same practices we believe in at Morrison."

By supporting the pledge, Morrison is expanding its already deep cultural commitment to provide nutritious, delicious food choices in a responsible manner to hospital patients, visitors, staff and the community.

Morrison has many environmentally conscious practices currently in place. The company:

  • Purchases only cage-free shell eggs where possible in order to promote the humane treatment of animals.

  • Is committed to serving only dairy that is free of antibiotics and recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone (rBGH) whenever possible.

  • Serves poultry, turkey and pork produced without medically important non-therapeutic antibiotics.

  • Is committed to protecting the threatened global fish supply. In collaboration with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch program, Morrison is part of a landmark purchasing policy that removed more than 1 million lbs. of unsustainable wild Atlantic Cod annually from its menus as of February 2009.

  • Is diligently working with the aquaculture supply chain industry and the Environmental Defense Fund to pursue the development of stricter and safer production standards, especially for farmed salmon and shrimp.

  • Has set a goal to remove 60 percent, representing 165,000 lbs., of unsustainable farmed salmon from menus by 2010.

  • Continues to expand the use of local produce raised within a 150-mile radius of where the food will be served and purchases foods in season from farmers, artisans or small processors.

  • Provides natural, local and/or Certified Organic offerings in its retail operations.

  • Eliminated artificial trans fats from cooking oils, margarines and other spreads and works diligently with its suppliers to promote reformulation of snacks, baked goods and other products that are served in order to meet the American Heart Association guidelines of decreasing trans fat without increasing saturated fats.

  • Helps Americans tackle the challenge of adult obesity by offering smaller portion alternatives.
Recently, Morrison debuted its "Flavors 450" menu, an innovative concept that offers simple, flavorful choices, each under 450 calories. Crafted by renowned chef Cary Neff in collaboration with Morrison executive chefs, the menu has more than 60 rotating recipes that incorporate natural foods low in fat and calories and emphasize the goodness of whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy products and seasonal produce. By taking into account the nutritional value of food and incorporating ingredients with health benefits, Morrison is also creating dishes that have therapeutic benefits and help address health issues such as diabetes, high cholesterol and digestive problems.

The company also actively teaches its chefs how to take natural, wholesome ingredients and turn them into savory dishes. In 2008, more than two dozen chefs traveled to The Culinary Vegetable Institute and The Chef's Garden in Huron, Ohio, an educational culinary center surrounded by a working farm, to learn hands-on menu planning, research, sustainable food practices and dining experiences - all lessons incorporated into the development of menus in Morrison facilities.

Morrison has also signed on as a sponsor of FoodMed 2009 - The Third International Conference on Healthy Food in Healthcare (www.foodmed.org). The conference, which will be held in Detroit June 30-July 1, 2009, brings together health care professionals, university researchers, dieticians, policy makers, distributors, group purchasing organizations, procurement professionals and other participants in the supply chain in order to share best practices and accelerate the development of nutritious, local sustainable food systems.

About Morrison
Morrison Management Specialists, a member of Compass Group, is the nation’s only food service company exclusively dedicated to providing food, nutrition and dining services to the health care and senior living communities through its two operating divisions: Morrison Healthcare Food Services and Morrison Senior Dining. With over 1,200 registered dietitians, 400 executive chefs and 16,600 professional food service team members, Morrison is actively committed to fostering ways to enjoy great-tasting, healthy food through socially responsible practices and superior customer service. The Atlanta-based company serves over 800 hospitals, integrated health care systems and senior living communities in the United States. Visit www.IamMorrison.com for more information.

About Health Care Without Harm
Health Care Without Harm is an international coalition of hospitals and health care systems, medical professionals, community groups, health-affected constituencies, labor unions, environmental and environmental health organizations and religious groups. Together, they work in more than 50 countries to transform the health care sector worldwide without compromising patient safety or care, so that it is ecologically sustainable and promotes the health of people and the environment. For more information, visit www.noharm.org/us.

Compass Group North America logo

Compass Group North America

Compass Group North America

Charlotte-based Compass Group North America is the leading food management and support services company with more than $12 billion USD in revenues in 2012.

With a focus to encourage responsible and sustainable practices in our supply chain, Compass Group is proud to lead the foodservice industry with groundbreaking policies that champion local farmers and fair trade; reduce the use of antibiotics in chicken, turkey and pork; commit to healthier oceans with sustainable seafood purchasing policies; support sustainable agriculture and healthy rural economies; focus on social justice; and promote farm animal welfare with 100 percent use of cage free shell eggs and the elimination of artificial rBGH from milk and yogurt products.

Compass Group's 360° platform is built upon four tenets:

  1. Nutrition and Wellness – Promoting a healthy lifestyle for our guests and associates by focusing on nutrition and wellness through BALANCE
  2. Sustainability – Encouraging responsible and sustainable practices in our supply chain
  3. Compass in the Community – Increasing associate participation in communities through our global "Compass in the Community" program
  4. Corporate Governance and Ethics – Conducting ourselves and our business in an ethical and fair manner

We believe all of us working together can make the difference "everyone, every day, everywhere."

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