Sodexo Commits to Achieving Gender Parity

GAITHERSBURG, Md., Aug. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Sodexo, a food services and facilities management company committed to improving Quality of Life, announced today its partnership with the Paradigm for Parity® Movement to advocate for equal employment opportunities for all genders specific to leadership positions.

"We are happy to be a part of the Paradigm for Parity® movement, a coalition of men and women business leaders dedicated to addressing the corporate leadership gender gap," said Rohini Anand, PhD, SVP, Corporate Responsibility & Global Chief Diversity Officer, Sodexo. "I'm proud to say that Sodexo's ongoing efforts in this area have helped us to surpass our goal of having 40 percent women representing our executive committee by 2025. Currently, 42 percent of our executive committee are female."

Sodexo has committed to:

• Eliminating or minimizing unconscious bias in the workplace;
• Significantly increasing the number of women in senior operating roles;
• Measuring targets and maintaining accountability by providing regular progress reports;
• Basing career progress on business results and performance, rather than physical presence in the office; and
• Providing sponsors, not just mentors, to women well positioned for long term success.

"We are proud to welcome Sodexo to join the more than 80 companies that have signed on to bring gender parity to the c-suite," said Jewelle Bickford, Co-Chair of the Paradigm for Parity® coalition. "By implementing the 5-Point Action plan, Sodexo is creating a new paradigm in the workplace where women and men have equal opportunity to succeed."

Sodexo's focus on supporting and advancing women is reflected in their programs and initiatives including the Sodexo Women's International Forum for Talent (SWIFt), a committee of senior men and women executives with the purpose of advocating for gender balance, professional development and career growth for women within Sodexo.

Sodexo's commitment to diversity and inclusion has been consistently recognized by external organizations and notable diversity publications. Sodexo was named to Bloomberg's 2018 Gender-Equality Index (GEI) – its first sector-neutral list of 104 global companies, and recognized on three of FORTUNE Magazine lists in 2017, including World's Most Admired Companies, Change the World and the FORTUNE 500.

About the Paradigm for Parity® Movement

The Paradigm for Parity® coalition is comprised of CEOs, senior executives, founders, board members and business academics who are committed to achieving a new norm in corporate leadership: one in which women and men have equal power, status, and opportunity.

The coalition created the Paradigm for Parity® 5-Point Action Plan for corporations to accelerate the pace of gender equity in senior executive roles. This unique agenda defines bold and specific actions that, taken together and simultaneously implemented as a package, will catalyze change and enable today's business executives to secure the best leaders of tomorrow.

About Sodexo North America

Sodexo North America is part of a global, Fortune 500 company with a presence in 80 countries. Sodexo is a leading provider of integrated food, facilities management and other services that enhance organizational performance, contribute to local communities and improve quality of life for millions of customers in corporate, education, healthcare, senior living, sports and leisure, government and other environments daily. The company employs 150,000 people at 13,000 sites in all 50 U.S. states and Canada and indirectly supports tens of thousands of additional jobs through its annual purchases of $9.2 billion in goods and services from small to large American businesses. Sodexo is committed to supporting diversity and inclusion and safety, while upholding the highest standards of corporate responsibility and ethical business conduct. In support of local communities across the U.S., the Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation has contributed close to $32 million over the past 20 years to help feed children in America impacted by hunger. To learn more about Sodexo, visit SodexoUSA.com, SodexoInsights.com and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. 

Contact:

Heidi Marino, Sodexo, Inc., (301) 233-6658, [email protected]

SOURCE Sodexo

Related Links

http://www.sodexoUSA.com

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