Darden Headquarters Earns LEED Gold Certification

ORLANDO, Fla., April 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Darden Restaurants today announced that its new corporate headquarters building in Orlando has been officially awarded Gold certification for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for New Construction (NC) from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The 469,000-square-foot facility, which opened in September, is the largest LEED Gold NC building in Florida.

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"Our new home is a shining example of our commitment to sustainability," said Drew Madsen, President and Chief Operating Officer of Darden. "We're working throughout our company to make our business smarter and more sustainable. By doing so, we can ensure the long-term success of our business while protecting and enhancing the communities where we do business."

Darden has undertaken a number of initiatives as part of its sustainability efforts, including:

• Setting goals to reduce per-restaurant energy and water use by 15 percent by 2015 and, long term, to send zero waste to landfills;
• Creating Green Teams in each of its 1,800 restaurants that focus on implementing programs aimed at reducing waste and energy and water usage; and
• Using LEED standards in its restaurant design process for all new restaurants and, where feasible, restaurant remodels.

The company also recently announced that, as part of its approach to supply chain sustainability, it has joined the Sustainability Consortium – an independent organization of diverse global participants working collaboratively to build a scientific foundation that drives innovation to improve consumer product sustainability.

About Darden Restaurants

Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI), the world's largest full-service restaurant company, owns and operates 1,800 restaurants that generate more than $7 billion in annual sales. Headquartered in Orlando, and employing approximately 180,000 people, 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. For more information, please visit www.darden.com.

SOURCE Darden Restaurants, Inc.: General