Global leader in Quality of Life services celebrates 2013 International Women’s Day with worldwide program of events
Issy-les-Moulineaux, France – March 6, 2013 – Sodexo will celebrate International Women’s Day on Friday March 8th, with events around the world held to highlight the achievements of women. As the global leader in Quality of Life services, Sodexo is convinced that people’s wellbeing is a key source of performance and progress for both organizations and individuals.
12 personal testimonials complemented with OECD statistics Sodexo’s initiatives for 2013 International Women’s Day includes an 8-day online showcase of insights from 12 women – Sodexo clients, employees and opinion leaders – from Brazil, Chile, the United States, India, France, Austria, Italy and from across different sectors, including defense, justice, education, and corporations. These 12 women share their view on Quality of Life in their everyday environment as well as provide their personal recommendations for a better Quality of Life for everyone.
In addition, Sodexo has asked the OECD to provide a comprehensive and objective overview of women’s perception of Quality of Life. This overview draws on and analyzes the OECD’s Better Life Index, a unique indicator launched by the OECD in 2011. Key findings highlight how women rate their personal life satisfaction compared with men as well as professional aspects of the gender divide, such as women’s representation and advancement in the corporate world.
Women at the heart of performance
For many years, diversity and inclusion have been a hallmark of Sodexo’s development. Convinced that gender balance is an asset to the company, Sodexo has long given high priority to the advancement of women with a wide range of global partnerships, awareness programs and initiatives. In 2009, Sodexo launched its SWIFt initiative (Sodexo Women’s International Forum for talent), a team of 25 senior women leaders to encourage a better representation by identifying main obstacles to women advancement and carrying out initiatives to address them. The implementation of operational Networks dedicated to gender diversity within the Group, and Mentoring, programs focused on cross-disciplinary exchanges to structure personal and professional development of high-potential women, are another side of Sodexo’s gender-balance strategy.
Diversity and inclusion: 2013 key achievements These global initiatives have allowed Sodexo to make significant progress in its diversity and inclusion agenda. In 2013, women represent 38% of the Board of Directors and hold 40% of management positions. Women’s representation among the top 300 senior executives rose to 23% (from 16% in 2007) in line with the 2015 objective of 25% target set by CEO Michel Landel in the SWIFt Agenda
Sodexo CEO Michel Landel said “I am personally convinced that society can only benefit from stronger diversity and inclusion, in the corporate sphere as well as the public sector. Unless we set concrete objectives, we will not see progress. At Sodexo, we have measurable goals in the realm of diversity, the organization is working towards them and I’m proud of the headway we have made. However the road is long and we must stay focused. Sodexo serves 75 million consumers daily, half of them women. Our ability to respond effectively to their expectations also depends on our progress in diversity and inclusion”.
Over the past few years, Sodexo’s commitment to diversity and inclusion has been highlighted through numerous awards and top rankings from diversity and employer organizations across the world. In 2012, Sodexo received the prestigious Catalyst Award, which honors innovative organizational approaches to developing advancement of women and minorities in the workplace.
To discover our unique International Women’s Day operation please consult: WomensInsight.sodexo.com
About Sodexo
Sodexo Group
Founded in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the global leader in services that improve Quality of Life, an essential factor in individual and organizational performance. Operating in 80 countries, Sodexo serves 75 million consumers each day through its unique combination of On-site Services, Benefits and Rewards Services and Personal and Home Services.
Through its more than 100 services, Sodexo provides clients an integrated offering developed over more than 45 years of experience: from reception, safety, maintenance and cleaning, to foodservices and facilities and equipment management; from Meal Pass, Gift Pass and Mobility Pass benefits for employees to in-home assistance and concierge services. Sodexo’s success and performance are founded on its independence, its sustainable business model and its ability to continuously develop and engage its 420,000 employees throughout the world.
