Sustainable Packaging Policies for Plastics | Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility

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<h4>Resolution Details</h4>
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<strong>Company:</strong>
<p>US Foods Holding Corp.</p>
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<strong>Year:</strong>
<p>2026 </p>
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<strong>Issue Area:</strong>
<p>Environment </p>
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<strong>Focus Area:</strong>
<p>Plastics Pollution </p>
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<strong>Status:</strong>
<p>Filed</p>
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<h2>Resolution Text</h2>
<p><strong>WHEREAS</strong>: US Foods sells plastic food packaging and food products in plastics packaging.<br><br>Only 9% of plastic waste globally is recycled.1 An estimated 11 million tons of plastic pollution is released into the ocean annually, killing over 1 million marine animals a year.2 There is also growing concern over the risks that microplastics and plastic additives pose to human health.3 A 2025 Duke University Study estimates that plastic use in the United States results in $930 billion in costs related to disease and early mortality from exposure to toxic chemicals.4<br><br>A 2025 Pew Charitable Trust study found that, without ambitious cuts in plastic production, plastic pollution will more than double by 2040 and greenhouse gas emissions from plastic production will increase by 58%. If the global plastic system were a country, it would be on track to be the third largest GHG emitter by 2040.5<br><br>US Foods’ failure to adopt policies to reduce plastic in its packaging may leave the company vulnerable to regulatory risk. Seven states have adopted extended producer responsibility laws that make producers responsible for post-consumer packaging waste management, and bills were introduced for similar regulation in eight other states in 2025.6 A 2020 Pew Study estimated that industry could face financial risk of $100 billion annually should producer responsibility and virgin plastic taxes become widespread.7 This does not include social costs.<br><br>Peers are adapting in response to these risks. Aramark plans to eliminate or substantially reduce its use of Styrofoam packaging and reduce its use of plastic packaging. Sysco discloses a percentage breakdown of its packaging material type, i.e. plastic, paper, and metal. Sysco also gives examples where it has switched from plastic to paper packaging and some quantitative disclosure on the associated plastic reduction achieved.<br>Despite the business risks and broad societal impact associated with plastic pollution, US Foods does not report any information to investors about its plastic footprint and has not set any goals for reducing its plastic use, or disclosed information on how it assesses and manages risks related to the health risks of plastics, including its use of Styrofoam.<br><br><strong>RESOLVED</strong>: Shareholders request that US Foods issue a report within one year, at reasonable cost and omitting proprietary information, assessing if and how the Company can increase the scale, pace, and rigor of its sustainable packaging efforts, including by reducing its total plastic packaging use.<br><br><strong>Supporting Statement</strong>: Proponents defer to management on the content of the report, but suggest that indicators meaningful to shareholders may include:<br><br>● Annual disclosure of metrics related to the company’s plastic use, such total plastic packaging use.<br>● Quantitative, time bound goals for reducing plastic use.</p>
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<p>1https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1700782<br>2 https://www.un.org/pl/node/71013<br>3 https://www.aamc.org/news/microplastics-are-inside-us-all-what-does-mean-our-health<br>4 https://nicholasinstitute.duke.edu/sites/default/files/publications/the-social-cost-of-plastic-united-states.pdf<br>5 https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/12/breaking-the-plastic-wave-2025<br>6 https://www.proskauer.com/alert/the-2025-guide-to-epr-packaging-compliance<br>7 https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2020/07/23/breaking-the-plastic-wave-top-findings</p>

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<h3>Lead Filer</h3>
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<div class=”views-field views-field-nothing”><span class=”field-content”> Giovanna Eichner</span></div><div class=”views-field views-field-title views-field-field-shareholder”><span class=”field-content”>Green Century Capital Management, Inc.</span></div>
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