ECJ EUROPEAN Cleaning Journal

Sodexo has published its 2023 Social Impact Report, which highlights progress and outcomes delivered against the commitments laid out in its Social Impact Pledge.

Each of the commitments was pledged in 2021, as part of a three-year social value strategy to deliver change which improves quality of life for Sodexo's people and in the communities where they live and work.

The report, published annually, provides a comprehensive overview of how Sodexo is making a positive difference across the UK and Ireland. It provides data and real-life examples of what social impact the company has delivered and where it's relevant and proportionate to do so, how much Social Return on Investment (SROI) it has created for communities using the National Themes, Outcomes and Measures (TOMs) framework where applicable.

Sodexo's Social Impact Pledge serves as an ethical manifesto, encompassing carefully selected commitments that aim to foster a healthier, greener, safer, and more prosperous society. These commitments are strategically mapped across four impact pathways crucial to Sodexo's business: People, Planet, Places and Partners.

The 2023 report highlights several key achievements across each of the four impact pathways, including:

People
• A comprehensive apprenticeship programme, with around 900 apprentices currently working across the UK and Ireland
• While Sodexo is a Ban the Box organisation, certain roles require disclosure. In 2021 and 2022, 82 per cent of job applicants with positive Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) applications successfully secured employment.

Planet
• Sodexo has accelerated its ambition to achieve net zero across its value chain by 2040, five years ahead of the previously set target.

Places
• Over 4,000 hours of volunteering have been provided in the community through the Sodexo volunteering programme over the last year.

Partners
• Sodexo remains committed to supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), with 57 per cent of its overall spend in the UK and Ireland being directed towards SME and VCSE suppliers
• In 2022, Sodexo colleagues recorded 800 hours of skills-based volunteering for PILOTLIGHT, a charity that amplifies the impact charities, business and individuals can bring to make a better world.

Sean Haley, CEO of Sodexo UK & Ireland commented: "When we launched our most recent pledge, we vowed to be transparent about how we were performing against the commitments we made. In this report, we do just that - focused on understanding the difference we are making for individuals and across wider communities.

"We are, however, not complacent - we recognise there is always more we can do. But we know that to be truly purpose-led, any organisation is limited on how much they can achieve in isolation. As such we are extremely proud of the ecosystem we continue to build with our clients, suppliers, government and the many charities and third sector organisations who collectively support us in driving the positive impact that improves quality of life."

Click here to download the report.