GAITHERSBURG, Md., April 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity list was announced last night, with Sodexo named the No. 2 company. The list included companies from a wide range of industries, including consulting, retail, manufacturing and banking. The full list can be found at www.DiversityInc.com/top50.

"There's a reason Sodexo has been in the top two for three years in a row. This company is the best we've ever seen at measuring and documenting the benefits of diversity in the workplace. The diversity initiatives led by Global CEO Michel Landel, U.S. CEO and President George Chavel and Senior Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Rohini Anand are a model for all other companies," said Luke Visconti, CEO of DiversityInc. "There is a constant process of improvement, and they mentor their customers in improving their diversity-business results. Sodexo continues to improve the diversity of its demographics at all levels. In 2011, almost half the college hires were women and more than 40 percent were Black, Latino, Asian or American Indian."

"We are celebrating a ten-year diversity journey that has enriched, informed, and improved our business and led to a systemic culture change. Through the inclusion of people and the integration of diversity of thought, we are better able to design, manage, and deliver quality of life services to our customers and meet the needs and expectations of the communities we serve," said George Chavel, president and CEO of Sodexo. "While our progress is exciting and impactful, there are still many opportunities yet to be realized. Our partnership with DiversityInc ensures we are benchmarking against the most forward-thinking companies and identifying opportunities to further embed diversity and inclusion into our culture," added Chavel.

In a breakthrough year, huge gains in diversity were seen at the senior-most levels. At the CEO level, companies in the 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 have twice the percentage of women as the Fortune 500, triple the percentage of Asians and four times the percentages of Blacks and Latinos. There also were significant year-to-year increases in the DiversityInc Top 50. For example:

• 36% more Blacks, Latinos and Asians in the top executive level
• (CEO and direct reports) vs. last year
• 7% more women in the top executive level vs. last year
• 15% more Blacks, Latinos and Asians on boards of directors vs. last year
• 13% more procurement with minority- and women-owned businesses vs. two years ago

"This is a transitional year," said Visconti. "We were struck by the change of diversity of the CEOs and managing teams of the companies on our list. It's much different from just five years ago. I see this as being a result of increasing emphasis at the most competitive companies, who link diversity management to creating a nimble and innovative corporate culture.

In other awards announced by DiversityInc, Sodexo also ranked:

• No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Recruitment & Retention
• No. 9 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Supplier Diversity
• No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Blacks
• No. 9 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Latinos
• No. 6 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Asian Americans
• No. 4 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Executive Women
• No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for LGBT Employees
• No. 5 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for People With Disabilities
• No. 6 in The DiversityInc Top 10 Companies for Global Diversity

"Our accomplishments represent the strong, ongoing commitment we have to diversity and inclusion," said Dr. Rohini Anand, senior vice president and global chief diversity officer for Sodexo. "However, success only means we must raise the bar, identify new opportunities, and embed diversity and inclusion deeper into our organizational culture. The top-down, bottom-up, middle-out approach is what drives innovative perspectives, allows us to respond to our clients in a holistic way and most importantly, reach untapped potential within the marketplace, providing a competitive advantage," explained Anand.

Methodology

A total of 587 companies participated in the 2012 DiversityInc Top 50 competition, up 11 percent from last year. Twelve percent more companies were able to answer every question on the 300-field survey, which is divided into four parts: CEO Commitment, Human Capital, Corporate and Organizational Communications, and Supplier Diversity.

The results are determined by statistical analysis. It is an independent editorial process and there is no fee to enter the competition and no requirement to conduct business with DiversityInc.

• There has been significant movement on the list this year:
• Twenty companies moved up in rank; 24 moved down; six kept the same ranking
• Three companies moved on to the list from the 25 Noteworthy Companies list last year
• Two companies came back to the list after falling off last year
• Two companies made the list for the first time, one of which was a first-time participant

Surveys are sent out in October to all interested companies that have at least 1,000 employees, with a due date for an online submission of March 1. There is no fee to enter and companies that have business relationships with DiversityInc get no preference. Every company that fills out the survey receives a free report card assessing performance in the four areas measured. Any company interested in participating in 2013 should contact top50@DiversityInc.com.

About Sodexo

Sodexo in North America

Sodexo, Inc. (www.sodexoUSA.com), leading Quality of Daily Life Solutions company in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, delivers On-site Service Solutions in Corporate, Education, Health Care, Government, and Remote Site segments, and Motivation Solutions such as Esteem Pass. Sodexo, Inc., headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., funds all administrative costs for the Sodexo Foundation (www.SodexoFoundation.org), an independent charitable organization that, since its founding in 1999, has made more than $17 million in grants to end childhood hunger in America. Visit the corporate blog at www.sodexoUSA.com/blog.

Sodexo, world leader in Quality of Daily Life Solutions

Quality of Life plays an important role in the progress of individuals and the performance of organizations. Based on this conviction, Sodexo acts as a partner for companies and institutions that place a premium on performance and employee well-being, as it has since Pierre Bellon founded the company in 1966. Sharing the same passion for service, Sodexo's 413,000 employees in 80 countries design, manage and deliver an unrivaled array of Quality of Life Services. Sodexo has created a new form of service business that contributes to the fulfillment of its employees and the economic, social and environmental development of the communities, regions and countries in which it operates.

DiversityInc. Contact:

For information or interviews with Luke Visconti, contact PR@DiversityInc.com.

SOURCE Sodexo