Our Objectives & Progress

Our goal is to have women represent at least 40% of Sodexo’s leadership by 2025 and 100% of employees working within entities having gender-balanced management teams.

Our progress thus far, along with some key figures women represent:

Sodexo Global Gender Balance Study

To understand how gender-balanced teams impact our performance, Sodexo surveyed over 50,000 managers across 70 entities with improved outcomes over five years. Our Global Gender Balance Study suggests that optimal outcomes are achieved when management teams have a gender ratio of 40% – 60% women, showing positive impacts on key performance indicators:

  • Operating Margins: The number of entities significantly increasing operating margins between FY14 and FY16 increased by 8 percentage points
  • Client Retention: The number of entities with a client retention rate of 90% or more in FY16 saw gender-balanced teams increase by 9 percentage points
  • Safety: The number of entities that saw a decrease in workplace accident rates between FY14 and FY16 increased by 12 percentage points
  • Employee Engagement: The number of entities with an employee engagement rate higher than the external benchmark in FY16 increased by 14 percentage points
  • Employee Retention: The average employee retention rate in FY16 increased by 8 percentage points

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SoTogether

SoTogether LogoSince 2009, the cornerstone of Sodexo’s gender equality strategy has been SoTogether, a global advisory board (consisting of 26 active Senior Executives, 10 alumni and 5 associates from 20 nationalities) dedicated to driving gender balance by advancing women at all levels of the organisation. This advisory board reports to the Executive Committee with the purpose of:

  1. To lead and drive the organisation’s gender equality strategy.
  2. To enlist highly influential individuals onto the board who could effectively champion its work in their region and influence local leadership and cascade actions
  3. To make high potential women visible across the global organisation, something which had already been shown to be instrumental in helping them progress.

Closing the Gender Gap

Closing the gender gap is part of Sodexo’s global, long-term commitment to promoting equality. Sodexo remains committed to closing the gender pay and professional gap across its entities.

Recognition

Sodexo regularly receives prizes and international recognition for its diversity, equity & inclusion initiatives, especially with respect to gender equality.

Learn more about our awards
woman presenting

International Women's Day (IWD)

International Women's Day (IWD) is traditionally a day dedicated to the celebration of the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. Celebrated each March 8 worldwide, IWD is the opportunity to showcase the great work we are doing with our gender balance commitments.

Learn more about IWD