Darden Restaurants Ranks Among Top Public Companies for Carbon-Disclosure Practices

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Sep 21, 2010, 08:30 ET

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) ranks among the top 50 S&P 500 companies recognized by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) for corporate management of its climate-change disclosure practices. The CDP holds the world's largest database of primary corporate climate-change information.

The independent not-for-profit organization featured Darden in its Carbon Disclosure Leadership Index, a key component of the CDP's annual S&P 500 Report, which was released yesterday. The index is based on high scores that reflect good internal data-management practices and an understanding of climate change-related issues affecting Darden.

Darden was the first full-service restaurant company in the U.S. to submit data to the Carbon Disclosure Project in 2008. Since then, Darden has communicated its systemized plan to reduce energy consumption throughout its operations, including its restaurants, supply chain and distribution system. The plan includes use of energy-efficient technologies and conservation practices such as implementing an equipment power-up/power-down schedule, installing fluorescent light bulbs in its restaurant kitchens and nearly all of its distribution warehouses, thermostat-setting standards and increasing use of rail shipments.

"We're committed to working collaboratively to make our business smarter by assessing our energy practices and determining areas for improvement," said Clarence Otis, Chairman and CEO of Darden Restaurants. "Identifying energy efficient practices and technologies has a positive environmental and economic impact, which contributes to our long-term sustainability and competitiveness."

This year, Darden set a corporate-wide goal to reduce its energy and water use per restaurant by 15 percent by 2015.

"With the help and leadership of our dedicated employee Green Teams and restaurant managers, we will continue to set priorities and employ key energy-efficiency activities in each of our 1,800 restaurants," said Ian Olson, Director of Sustainability for Darden.

Visit www.generationcommitment.com to learn more about Darden Restaurants' overall sustainability strategy that includes energy-reduction initiatives.

About Darden Restaurants:

Darden Restaurants, Inc., (NYSE: DRI) headquartered in Orlando, Fla., is the world's largest company-owned and operated full-service restaurant company with more than $7 billion in annual sales and approximately 180,000 employees. Darden is recognized for a culture that rewards caring for and responding to people. Our restaurant brands – Red Lobster, Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52 – reflect the rich diversity of those who dine with us. Our brands are built on deep insights into what our guests want.

SOURCE Darden Restaurants, Inc.: General