Sodexo's diversity and inclusion strategy awarded with Best Diversity Employer award

BURLINGTON, ON, March 31, 2015 /CNW/ - Sodexo, the world leader in quality of life services, has been recognized as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers for the second year in a row. The company's strong commitments to promote inclusiveness in the workplace have translated into an increase in business performance and employee engagement.

Sodexo's business strategy recognizes diversity & inclusion training and development as a key driver for attracting and retaining the best talent from all walks of life. In their recent employee engagement survey, Sodexo's employees gave the company a positive perception score of 81% for diversity & inclusion practices. Mediacorp examined the company's employee network groups, community partnerships and various training and development programs for women, visible minorities, persons with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered/transsexual (LGBT) peoples and discovered a forward-thinking culture.

The competition for talent in today's marketplace cannot afford to overlook people with disabilities, who constitute a critical and under-utilized segment of the nation's population. Sodexo's "disABILITY" strategy provides meaningful work experience, leadership opportunities and education sessions to attract and retain persons with disabilities. This strategy extends to providing opportunities for persons with mental health issues at the Willow Bean Café in partnership with Vancouver Coastal Health and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

"We have the responsibility to reflect the interests of our diverse workforce and the communities that we serve as well as the interests of our diverse clients, customers and partners," shares Barry Telford, President of Sodexo Canada. "Leveraging a multicultural workforce goes hand in hand with our commitments to gender balance throughout the organization. Diversity is not just about each group getting their moment. We must all work together to identify bias and make a commitment at all levels of the organization not to overlook our most talented and resilient team members."

Sodexo is the only company to offer services based on over one hundred professions and is committed to enhancing employee well-being, optimizing work processes and ensuring proper functioning and safety of sites for companies, hospitals, university campuses, remote sites and large worksites.

To learn more about the Sodexo's diversity and inclusion commitments visit: www.sodexo.ca

About Sodexo

Sodexo in Canada
Sodexo has been delivering On-Site Services in Canada for over 40 years. Recognized as a strategic partner, Sodexo Canada is dedicated to providing Quality of Life Services for clients, their employees and visitors in the corporate, education, healthcare and remote sites segments. These Quality of Life Services create healthy, safe, and efficient environments allowing individuals and organizations to grow and succeed.  Delivering food and facilities management services for over 200 clients, Sodexo is a market leader in Canada in terms of revenue and consumers served, and has been recognized as a top employer for the past five consecutive years.  Sodexo Canada is proud to have created the Sodexo Foundation, an independent charitable organization that has donated more than 1 million meals to at risk youth in Canada since it was founded in 2000. For more information, please visit www.sodexo.ca, or follow us on Twitter @SodexoCanada.

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 419,000 employees throughout the world.

SOURCE Sodexo Canada

Related Links

http://www.sodexhoca.com