SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 11-K

                     Annual Report Pursuant to Section 15(j)

                     Of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                    X Annual Report Pursuant to Section 15(d)
                  ----
                     Of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                   For the Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2001


                                       or


                   Transition Report Pursuant to Section 15(d)
             -----
                     Of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

          For the Transition Period from _____________ to _____________


                         Commission File Number 1-14762


                SERVICEMASTER PROFIT SHARING AND RETIREMENT PLAN
                               Full Title of Plan


                            THE SERVICEMASTER COMPANY
                              2300 Warrenville Road
                          Downers Grove, Illinois 60515

                              Name of Issuer of the
                      Securities Held Pursuant to the Plan
                And the Address of the Principal Executive Office



                                       1





                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
Committee  and Plan  administrators  have duly caused  this annual  report to be
signed by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                SERVICEMASTER Profit Sharing and Retirement Plan



By:  /s/Deborah A. O'Connor
     ------------------------------------
     Deborah A. O'Connor
     Senior Vice President and Controller



By:  /s/Eric R. Zarnikow
     ------------------------------------
     Eric R. Zarnikow
     Senior Vice President and Treasurer








Date:     May 31, 2002



                                       2






ServiceMaster Profit Sharing and Retirement Plan

Financial Statements and Schedules
As of December 31, 2001 and 2000
Together With Auditors' Report












Employer Identification Number 36-3858106
Plan Number 001



                                       3






                SERVICEMASTER PROFIT SHARING AND RETIREMENT PLAN


                           December 31, 2001 and 2000

          (Employer Identification Number 36-3858106, Plan Number 001)



                                TABLE OF CONTENTS


FINANCIAL STATEMENTS:
  Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits as of December 31, 2001
    and 2000
  Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits for the Year
    Ended December 31, 2001

NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES

SCHEDULES:
  Schedule H, Line 4i--Schedule of Assets (Held at End of
    Year)--December 31, 2001                                          Schedule I
  Schedule H, Line 4j--Schedule of Reportable Transactions
    for the YearEnded December 31, 2001                              Schedule II



                                       4












REPORT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS






To the Benefits Administration Committee of the
ServiceMaster Profit Sharing and Retirement Plan


We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits
of the ServiceMaster  Profit Sharing and Retirement Plan as of December 31, 2001
and 2000,  and the  related  statement  of changes in net assets  available  for
benefits for the year ended December 31, 2001.  These  financial  statements are
the  responsibility  of  the  Plan's  Benefits  Administration   Committee.  Our
responsibility  is to express an opinion on these financial  statements based on
our audits.

We conducted our audits in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted
in the United States. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit
to obtain reasonable  assurance about whether the financial  statements are free
of material misstatement. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence
supporting  the amounts and  disclosures in the financial  statements.  An audit
also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates
made by  management,  as well as  evaluating  the  overall  financial  statement
presentation.  We believe  that our audits  provide a  reasonable  basis for our
opinion.

In our opinion,  the financial  statements  referred to above present fairly, in
all  material   respects,   the  net  assets   available  for  benefits  of  the
ServiceMaster  Profit  Sharing and  Retirement  Plan as of December 31, 2001 and
2000,  and the changes in net assets  available  for benefits for the year ended
December 31, 2001, in conformity with accounting  principles  generally accepted
in the United States.

Our audits  were  performed  for the  purpose of forming an opinion on the basic
financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental Schedule of Assets (Held
at End of Year) and Schedule of  Reportable  Transactions  are presented for the
purpose  of  additional  analysis  and are  not a  required  part  of the  basic
financial  statements,   but  are  supplementary  information  required  by  the
Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations  for Reporting and Disclosure  under
the  Employee  Retirement  Income  Security  Act  of  1974.  These  supplemental
schedules  are  the   responsibility  of  the  Plan's  Benefits   Administration
Committee.  The  supplemental  schedules  have been  subjected  to the  auditing
procedures  applied in the audits of the basic financial  statements and, in our
opinion,  are fairly  stated in all  material  respects in relation to the basic
financial statements taken as a whole.




/s/ Arthur Andersen
Chicago, Illinois
May 31, 2002




                                       5






                SERVICEMASTER PROFIT SHARING AND RETIREMENT PLAN


                 STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS

                        As of December 31, 2001 and 2000

          (Employer Identification Number 36-3858106, Plan Number 001)



                                                  2001                 2000
ASSETS:                                       ------------         ------------
    Investments (Note 3)                      $407,959,315         $358,759,484
    Non-interest-bearing cash                      221,892               49,311
    Receivable--employer contribution           10,750,357           11,164,390
                                              ------------         ------------

NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS             $418,931,564         $369,973,185
                                              ============         ============


       The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements and Schedules are an
                       integral part of these statements.



                                       6





                SERVICEMASTER PROFIT SHARING AND RETIREMENT PLAN


            STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS

                      For the Year Ended December 31, 2001

          (Employer Identification Number 36-3858106, Plan Number 001)



ADDITIONS:
    Additions to net assets attributed to-
       Investment income-
           Net appreciation in fair value of investments     $  12,963,925
           Interest and dividend income                         10,381,291
                                                               ------------
                     Total investment income                    23,345,216


       Contributions-
           Participant                                          29,204,725
           Employer                                             10,750,357
           Rollover                                              1,142,733
                                                               ------------
                     Total contributions                        41,097,815
                                                               ------------
                     Total additions                            64,443,031
                                                               ------------

DEDUCTIONS:
    Deductions from net assets attributed to-
       Benefits paid to participants                           (34,513,772)
       Other expenses                                              (38,864)
                                                               ------------
                     Total deductions                          (34,552,636)
                                                               ------------

TRANSFERS TO THE PLAN (Note 1)                                  19,067,984
                                                               ------------
                     Net increase                               48,958,379


NET ASSETS AVAILABLE FOR BENEFITS:
    Beginning of year                                          369,973,185
                                                               ------------
    End of year                                               $418,931,564
                                                               ============



          The accompanying Notes to Financial Statements and Schedules
                     are an integral part of this statement.




                                       7









                SERVICEMASTER PROFIT SHARING AND RETIREMENT PLAN


                   NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SCHEDULES

                           December 31, 2001 and 2000



1.   DESCRIPTION OF PLAN

     The  ServiceMaster  Profit  Sharing and  Retirement  Plan (the "Plan") is a
     defined  contribution  plan established by The  ServiceMaster  Company (the
     "Company") and its affiliates  and  subsidiaries  to whom the Plan has been
     extended  to  provide  eligible  employees  with  a  program  to  save  for
     retirement. The Plan was amended and restated effective as of July 1, 1999.
     It is subject to the provisions of the Employee  Retirement Income Security
     Act of 1974 ("ERISA"),  as amended.  The following  description of the Plan
     provides only general  information.  Participants  should refer to the Plan
     agreement for a more complete description of the Plan's provisions.

     2001 PLAN CHANGES

     During  2001,  the  Benefits  Administration  Committee  (the  "Committee")
     resolved  to merge the  following  plans  into the Plan  effective  between
     February 15, 2001, through December 31, 2001:

Pennington Lawn Service, Inc. Profit Sharing and 401(k)
  Plan                                                        $     204,919
ARS 401(k) Plan                                                  15,296,677
C&C Mechanical Retirement Savings Plan                              800,509
Tenet Healthcare Corporation Retirement Savings Plan                785,045
The Southern Tree & Landscape Companies 401(k) Profit
  Sharing Plan                                                      649,996
R.L. Company, Inc. Employee Retirement Plan                         693,814
ABASH, Inc. 401(k) Plan                                              97,342
Able Air 401(k) Plan                                                136,465
Redwood Retirement Savings Plan                                     101,127
Showcase Landscape Inc. Employee Savings & Investment
  Plan                                                              193,279
L. Care USA Inc. 401(k) Profit Sharing Plan and Trust                55,593
MDI/RPM 401(k) Plan                                                  53,218
                                                                -----------
                     Total transfers to the Plan                $19,067,984
                                                                ===========

     In the fourth quarter of 2001, the Company's Board of Directors  approved a
     series of  actions  related to the  strategic  review of its  portfolio  of
     businesses  that commenced  earlier in the year.  The  Management  Services
     segment was sold to ARAMARK  Corporation  on November 30, 2001.  As of that
     date,  employees of this segment were no longer  eligible to  contribute to
     the Plan.  Eligible  participants  of the Management  Services  segment did
     receive a matching  contribution from ServiceMaster for the 2001 plan year.
     During  the  first  quarter  of  2002,   the  account   balances  of  these
     participants  totaling  approximately  $142 million were  transferred to an
     ARAMARK-sponsored plan.



                                       8



     ELIGIBILITY

     Full  and  part-time  nonunion  employees  who have  completed  one year of
     service and are at least 18 years of age are eligible to participate in the
     Plan.  Effective  July 1, 2001,  the Plan was amended to reduce the service
     period requirement from one year to 90 days. Leased employees and employees
     who are or who become covered by a collective bargaining  agreement,  which
     do not allow for Plan participation, are not eligible to participate in the
     Plan.

     PARTICIPANT CONTRIBUTIONS

     Participants may elect to contribute a minimum of 1% up to a maximum of 15%
     of pretax annual  compensation,  as defined in the Plan, subject to certain
     limitations.  The  first  4% of  pretax  compensation  (base  contribution)
     contributed to the Plan is eligible for a discretionary  employer  matching
     contribution.   Participants  may  also  contribute  amounts   representing
     distributions   from  other  qualified  plans.   Participants   direct  the
     investment of their  contributions  into various investment options offered
     by the Plan, which currently consist of ServiceMaster Company common stock,
     six mutual funds and three common/collective trust funds.

     EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS

     The Company's  contribution is discretionary and the amount of contribution
     from  Company  profits is  determined  each year by the Board of  Directors
     after a review of the overall  financial  performance of ServiceMaster  and
     the key business units. The matching  contribution may differ for different
     employee  groups  and,  historically,  has  ranged  from  55%  to  70% of a
     participant's   base   contribution.   One-half  of  the  Company  matching
     contribution is invested directly in the ServiceMaster Company common stock
     fund and the other  one-half is  invested  according  to the  participants'
     direction.  The Board of Directors approved a Company  contribution for the
     year ended December 31, 2001.

     PARTICIPANT ACCOUNTS

     Each participant's account is credited with the participant's  contribution
     and  allocations of (a) the Company's  contribution,  (b) Plan earnings (c)
     and forfeitures. The participant's accounts are charged with administrative
     fees, where applicable.  Allocations are based on participant contributions
     or account  balances,  as defined.  The benefit to which a  participant  is
     entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant's  vested
     account.



                                       9


     VESTING

     Participants  are vested  immediately  in their  contributions  plus actual
     earnings  thereon.  Vesting in the Company's  contribution  is based on the
     following  schedule,  except  for  in  the  event  of  death  or  permanent
     disability, in which case the participant becomes immediately vested:

       Completed Years                            Percent
          of Service                              Vested
----------------------------------                -------
Less than 2 years of service                           0%
2 years of service but less than 3                    25
3 years of service but less than 4                    50
4 years of service but less than 5                    75
5 years of service or more                           100
                                                  =======

     FORFEITURES

     Forfeitures   are  used  first  to  reinstate  all  rehired   participants'
     forfeitures  and then are  allocated to eligible  participants  in the same
     manner as employer profit sharing contributions.

     PARTICIPANT LOANS

     Participants  may borrow from their fund accounts a minimum of $500 up to a
     maximum of the lesser of: (a)  $50,000 or (b) 50% of their  vested  account
     balance  (limited  to the  value  of the  participant's  contributions  and
     earnings  thereon),  minus their  highest  outstanding  loan balance in the
     previous 12 months.  A participant's  loan is secured by the balance in the
     participant's  account  and bears  interest at the prime  interest  rate as
     listed in The Wall Street Journal on the first business day of the month in
     which the loan is issued, plus 1%.

     BENEFIT PAYMENTS

     A participant  may elect to have the value of their vested  account  (minus
     any   outstanding   loan  balance)   distributed  to  them  upon  permanent
     disability,  upon reaching normal  retirement age (65), or upon termination
     of employment.  A participant may elect to receive either a lump-sum amount
     equal to the value of the  participant's  vested interest in their account,
     or monthly,  quarterly,  or annual  installments  for a specified number of
     years not to exceed the  participant's  life  expectancy  and that of their
     beneficiary. At the time of distribution,  shares of ServiceMaster stock in
     the participant's account can be taken in kind or in cash.

     TERMINATION OF THE PLAN

     The Company currently intends to continue the Plan  indefinitely.  However,
     the Company has the right under the Plan to discontinue  contributions  and
     terminate the Plan at any time,  subject to the provisions of ERISA. If the
     Plan is terminated,  participants will become fully vested in their Company
     contributions account balances.

                                       10



2.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

     BASIS OF ACCOUNTING

     The financial  statements of the Plan are prepared under the accrual method
     of accounting.

     USE OF ESTIMATES

     The  preparation  of financial  statements  in conformity  with  accounting
     principles  generally  accepted in the United  States  requires  the Plan's
     Benefits  Administration  Committee to make estimates and assumptions  that
     affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and changes therein,
     and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.  These estimates could
     differ from actual results.

     INVESTMENT VALUATION AND INCOME RECOGNITION

     The Plan's investments, other than the Putnam Stable Value Fund, are stated
     at fair value  based on quoted  market  prices or  estimated  fair value as
     reported by the Plan's  trustee.  Shares of mutual  funds are valued at the
     net asset value of shares held by the Plan at year-end.

     The Putnam  Stable Value Fund invests  primarily in  guaranteed  investment
     contracts or funding agreements and security-backed investment contracts or
     separate accounts issued or wrapped by insurance companies, banks, or other
     financial  institutions  (collectively  referred  to herein as  "Investment
     Contracts"). Investment Contracts are carried at cost plus accrued interest
     ("Book Value"). Investment Contracts will normally be held to maturity, and
     meet the fully benefit  responsive  requirements  of the AICPA Statement of
     Position  94-4,  "Reporting  of  Investment  Contracts  Held by Health  and
     Welfare  Benefit Plans and Defined  Contribution  Pension  Plans." The Book
     Value of  Investment  Contracts  will be  adjusted  to  reflect  any issuer
     defaults  or other  evidence of  impairment  under an  investment  contract
     should they occur.  The aggregate  average  crediting  interest rate of the
     Investment Contracts as of December 31, 2001 and 2000, was 6.36% and 6.42%,
     respectively.  The aggregate  average yield for the year ended December 31,
     2001,  was  6.4%.  As of  December  31,  2001 and 2000,  83.4%  and  87.1%,
     respectively,  of the Putnam  Stable Value Fund's  assets were  invested in
     Investment  Contracts,  with  the  remainder  of  the  assets  invested  in
     high-quality  money  market  instruments.  There  are no  reserves  against
     contract  value for credit risk of the contract  issuers or otherwise.  The
     Plan's  interest in the estimated fair value of the underlying  fund assets
     approximates contract value.

     Purchases  and sales of  securities  are  recorded on a  trade-date  basis.
     Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividends are recorded on
     the ex-dividend date.

     PAYMENT OF BENEFITS

     Benefit payments are recorded when paid.

     ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

     Administrative  expenses are paid by the Plan to the extent not paid by the
     Company.


                                       11


3.    INVESTMENTS

     The following presents  investments that represent 5% or more of the Plan's
     net assets as of December 31, 2001 and 2000:


                                                                              2001                   2000
                                                                        --------------         --------------
                                                                                         
Putnam Bond Index Fund, 4,873,343 and
    5,287,916 shares, respectively                                      $  57,944,046          $  58,219,959
Putnam Investors Fund, 2,697,542 and 1,834,597
   shares, respectively                                                    31,453,334             28,381,220
The George Putnam Fund of Boston CL Y,
    3,665,683 and 2,859,395 shares, respectively                           61,473,500             49,210,193
The Putnam Fund for Growth & Income CL Y,
    1,415,741 and 1,151,131 shares, respectively                           25,143,550             22,516,115
Putnam S&P 500 Index Fund, 861,717 and
    771,205 shares, respectively                                           23,998,828             24,431,774
Putnam Stable Value Fund, 43,273,907 and
    41,580,768 shares, respectively                                        43,273,907             41,580,768
ServiceMaster Company common stock,
    9,704,300 and 9,475,214 shares, respectively                          133,919,334*           108,964,963*



*Includes both participant and nonparticipant-directed amounts.


During 2001, the Plan's  investments  (including gains and losses on investments
bought  and  sold,  as well as held  during  the year)  appreciated  in value by
$12,963,925 as follows:

          Mutual funds                                     $(11,614,431)
          Common collective trust funds                       1,473,519
          Common stock                                       23,104,837
                                                            ------------
                                                            $12,963,925
                                                           =============

     The Plan provides for various investments that, in general,  are exposed to
     various risks such as interest rate,  credit and overall market  volatility
     risks.  Due to  the  level  of  risk  associated  with  certain  investment
     securities,  it is  reasonably  possible  that  changes  in the  values  of
     securities  will  occur  in the  near  term and  that  such  changes  could
     materially  affect the  amounts  reported in the  statements  of net assets
     available for benefits.


4.   NONPARTICIPANT-DIRECTED INVESTMENT

     As of December 31, 2001,  investment  in the Plan is  participant-directed,
     except that one-half of the  Company's  matching  contribution  is invested
     directly in The  ServiceMaster  Company common stock. (As discussed in Note
     7, in the second  quarter of 2002, the Company  eliminated the  requirement
     that one-half of the Company's  matching  contribution be invested directly
     into  the  ServiceMaster  Company  common  stock.)  Participants,  at their
     discretion,  may also direct their investment to The ServiceMaster  Company
     common stock.  The following  information  includes  both  participant  and
     nonparticipant-directed  investment  balances.  Information  about  the net
     assets of The  ServiceMaster  Company  common stock fund as of December 31,
     2001 and 2000,  and the  significant  components  of the changes in the net
     assets for the year ended December 31, 2001, is as follows:

                                       12



                                                          December 31
                                               ---------------------------------
                                                   2001                 2000
                                               -------------       -------------
Net assets-
    The ServiceMaster Company common stock     $133,919,334         $108,964,963
                                               =============       =============

                                                                    Year Ended
                                                                    Dec.31,2001
                                                                   -------------
Changes in net assets-
    Additions-
       Contributions                                               $  8,578,612
       Interest and dividend income                                   3,900,870
       Transfers into the Plan                                          606,920
       Net appreciation                                              23,104,837
    Deductions-
       Benefits paid to participants                                 (7,751,119)
       Net transfers from participant-directed investments
                                                                     (3,484,111)
       Other expenses                                                    (1,638)
                                                                   -------------
                     Net change in net assets                       $24,954,371
                                                                   =============

5.   TAX STATUS OF THE PLAN

     The Plan  received  a  favorable  determination  letter  from the  Internal
     Revenue  Service dated February 26, 1996. The Plan was amended and restated
     effective July 1, 1999. However,  the plan administrator  believes that the
     Plan is  currently  designed  and being  operated  in  compliance  with the
     applicable  requirements of the Internal Revenue Code. Therefore,  the plan
     administrator  believes  that the Plan was  qualified and the related trust
     was tax-exempt as of the financial statement dates.


6.   RELATED-PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     The Plan  invests  in  shares  of  mutual  funds  and  interests  in common
     collective trust funds managed by Putnam Fiduciary Trust Company  ("PFTC").
     PFTC acts as trustee and record keeper for the Plan.  The Plan also invests
     in  Company  stock and allows  loans to  participants.  These  transactions
     qualify  as  party-in-interest  transactions,  which  are  exempt  from the
     prohibited transaction rules.


7.   SUBSEQUENT EVENT

     In the second quarter of 2002, the Plan  eliminated  the  requirement  that
     one-half of the Company matching  contribution be invested  directly in the
     ServiceMaster  Company  common stock fund.  Participants  are  permitted to
     invest  past and future  matching  contributions  in any of the  investment
     funds available within the Plan. In addition, three additional mutual funds
     were added as investment options.


                                       13




                                                                      Schedule I


                SERVICEMASTER PROFIT SHARING AND RETIREMENT PLAN


                     SCHEDULE H, LINE 4i--SCHEDULE OF ASSETS
                              (HELD AT END OF YEAR)

                                December 31, 2001

          (Employer Identification Number 36-3858106, Plan Number 001)




                                 (b) Identity of Issue/                                   (e) Current
   (a)                       (c) Description of Investment             (d) Cost              Value
--------   ------------------------------------------------------      --------------     ------------------
                                                                                   
           MUTUAL FUNDS:
    *          Putnam Investors Fund                                      N/A               $  31,453,334
    *          The George Putnam Fund of Boston CL Y                      N/A                  61,473,500
    *          The Putnam Fund for Growth & Income CL Y                   N/A                  25,143,550
               Vanguard Life Strategy Income Fund                         N/A                   2,641,639
               Vanguard Life Strategy Conservative Growth Fund            N/A                   4,531,452
               Vanguard Life Strategy Growth Fund                         N/A                  11,280,916


           COMMON COLLECTIVE TRUST FUNDS:
    *          Putnam Bond Index Fund                                     N/A                  57,944,046
    *          Putnam S&P 500 Index Fund                                  N/A                  23,998,828
    *          Putnam Stable Value Fund                                   N/A                  43,273,907

           EMPLOYER SECURITIES--common shares:
    *          The ServiceMaster Company common stock                   $106,164,668          133,919,334

           GUARANTEED INVESTMENT CONTRACT:
               Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, 4.9%
                                                                             420,934              420,934
    *      PARTICIPANT LOANS, 6.5% to 10.5%                               N/A                  11,877,875
                                                                       ==============        ---------------
                                                                                             $407,959,315
                                                                                             ===============




                        *Represents a party-in-interest.


            Cost information is omitted for all investments that are fully
participant directed.



The  accompanying  Notes to Financial  Statements  and Schedules are an integral
part of this schedule.






                                                                     Schedule II



                SERVICEMASTER PROFIT SHARING AND RETIREMENT PLAN


          SCHEDULE H, LINE 4j--SCHEDULE OF REPORTABLE TRANSACTIONS (a)

                      For the Year Ended December 31, 2001

          (Employer Identification Number 36-3858106, Plan Number 001)






                                                                                         SALES
                                                             -----------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                              
                                                                                            (H) CURRENT VALUE
                                                                                                OF ASSET ON
(A) IDENTITY OF       (B) DESCRIPTION       (C) PURCHASE      (D) SELLING      (G) COST OF      TRANSACTION     (I) REALIZED
 PARTY INVOLVED           OF ASSET               PRICE            PRICE           ASSET            DATE              GAIN
------------------   --------------------   -------------     -------------    -------------    ------------    -------------
The ServiceMaster    Employer securities-
    Company              common shares       $18,512,387       $17,269,768      $16,881,776      $17,269,768       $387,992






(a)   Represents transactions or a series of transactions related to
      nonparticipant-directed investments in excess of 5% of the fair value of
      Plan assets at the beginning of the year.



The  accompanying  Notes to Financial  Statements  and Schedules are an integral
part of this schedule.



                                       14








CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS





As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation of our
report, dated May 31, 2002, included in this Form 11-K, into the ServiceMaster
Profit Sharing and Retirement Plan's previously filed Registration Statement
File No. 333-89037.



/s/ Arthur Andersen
Chicago, Illinois
May 31, 2002

                                       15