Endangered Species Chocolate Awarded for Mission-driven App-“roach”

INDIANAPOLIS, October 17, 2006 – Endangered Species Chocolate (ESC) stands by its mission to protect species, habitat and humanity, even when it comes to pests. The company was honored today by Orkin, Inc. and The IPM Institute of North America with a 2006 Gold Medal IPM Partner Award for its extraordinary commitment to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) at its Indianapolis facility. 

IPM is an approach to pest management that stresses multiple methods of control, with an emphasis on minimizing pesticide use.  The Gold Medal IPM Partner Awards specifically honor companies that have shown the greatest dedication to making IPM work at their sites through vigilant sanitation, prompt adherence to structural pest management recommendations, diligent record-keeping and staff participation in IPM training sessions. 

“By focusing on facilities that rely on IPM from a business standpoint, we get outstanding nominees who are truly dedicated to smarter pest control,” said Orkin Quality Assurance Director Zia Siddiqi, Ph.D.  “Endangered Species Chocolate is among the absolute best at IPM across North America.”

ESC employs Orkin’s Gold Medal Protection, a comprehensive IPM service that emphasizes quality assurance and documentation.  An awards jury of IPM experts selected the winning facilities from an elite group of 62 nominees throughout the United States and Canada. 

“It’s important that our business decisions are guided by our core value, Reverence for Life,” says Bruce Babcock, project manager at ESC. “Avoiding pesticides and maintaining a sanitary production facility requires team work. This enables us to provide customers quality natural chocolate products while being conscious of the environment.”

Orkin and The IPM Institute came together in 2004 to introduce the Gold Medal IPM Partner Awards because they share a common interest in encouraging environmentally friendly practices.

“IPM promotes healthier environments by reducing conditions that can lead to pest problems and encourage pesticide use,” said Dr. Thomas Green, President of The IPM Institute of North America, Inc.  “We’re very pleased to be recognizing top performers like Endangered Species Chocolate for their excellent preventive maintenance and sanitation practices.”

About Endangered Species Chocolate
Indianapolis-based Endangered Species Chocolate is fully committed to providing premium, all-natural ethically traded, naturally shade-grown, and kosher products, as well as products that are certified vegan and organic. To honor its core value – Reverence for Life – ESC confirms that all beans used in its products are purchased from small, family-owned properties where the income benefits the community. The company also donates 10-percent of net profits to help support species, habitat and humanity. The number one best selling brand of natural and organic chocolate in the natural food category, ESC offers more than 30 products. For more information, please visit www.chocolatebar.com.

About Orkin
Founded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin, Inc. is an industry leader in essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica.  With more than 400 locations, Orkin’s almost 8,000 employees in the United States and Canada serve approximately 1.7 million customers.  The company serves more than 250,000 commercial customers, making it one of the largest commercial providers in North America.  Orkin is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rollins, Inc., which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (ROL).  Learn more about Orkin Commercial Services by visiting www.orkincommercial.com.

About The IPM Institute of North America
The IPM Institute of North America, Inc. is an independent non-profit organization formed in 1998 to foster recognition and rewards in the marketplace for goods and service providers who practice IPM.  The Institute’s mission is to accelerate adoption of IPM in agriculture and communities through consumer education and development of IPM standards for self-evaluation and IPM certification.  The Institute is funded by grants from government, private foundations and industry, memberships and fees for services and programs.  Learn more at www.ipminstitute.org.           

About the Awards Jury

• Austin Frishman, Ph.D., B.C.E., Founder and President of AMF Pest Management Services, Inc.
• Thomas A. Green, Ph.D., President of the IPM Institute of North America, Inc.;
• Frank Meek, B.C.E., Technical Director, Orkin, Inc.
• Zia Siddiqi, Ph.D., B.C.E., Director of Quality Assurance, Orkin, Inc. 

 Learn More about the Jury at: http://www.orkin.com/commercial/docs/articles/ipmexperts.pdf